According to reports, Senate Democrats are rushing to approve as many of President Biden's judicial nominees as possible before Trump takes office. Several of the candidates have previously faced criticism from Republicans.
Democrats have approved 215 of Biden's judicial nominees, and the Senate most recently confirmed Jonathan E. Hawley to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of Illinois on Wednesday.
He was approved by a vote of 50-46.
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However, Biden's confirmation numbers remain lower than President-elect Trump's 234 confirmations during his first term, including three confirmations to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have been vocal in recent days about prioritizing judicial confirmations during lame-duck sessions, saying Wednesday that they “intend to confirm all possible federal judges during lame-duck sessions.” he tweeted.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have been vocal in recent days about prioritizing judicial confirmations during lame duck sessions. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg)
In addition to Hawley's confirmation, the Senate this week confirmed April M. Perry to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and Democrats are in the process of nominating Embry Kidd to the 11th Circuit. was brought forward.
But several of Biden's nominees have come under attack from Republicans in their hearings.
The Washington Examiner reported that Kidd, a district judge in the Middle District of Florida, failed to disclose in his questionnaire at least two child sex-related cases he had decided, which were later reversed. It has become a hot topic this summer. .
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Former Democratic Congressman Anthony J. Brindisi, who serves as a judge on the New York State Court of Claims in Utica, New York, was nominated by Biden in July, where he was the subject of various interrogations in which he He tried to frame himself as a criminal. jurists and politicians.
“Are you a politician or a judge in the courtroom?” Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn asked him during the hearing.
Brindisi replied, “I'm a judge, a senator.”
According to a recent report from Axios, despite Democratic efforts to get judicial confirmations in full swing, Senate Democrats have decided that after Trump ascended to the Oval Office in January, Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin have expressed concern about his ability to thwart judicial policy.
Democrats are trying to get judicial confirmation in full swing. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Several Democrats cited Durbin's age as a key factor, according to the report. Mr. Durbin is 79 years old.
“Senator Durbin has successfully led the Judiciary Committee as Chairman over the past four years, with 215 lifetime judges confirmed under the Biden Administration and that number continuing to grow,” said Sen. Durbin's office. he told FOX News Digital in a statement. “And as a senior member of the Democratic Committee in the first Trump administration, Sen. Durbin served as a key voice pushing back against unqualified Trump judicial nominees.Simply put, he He has been an outstanding committee chair and stands ready to continue leading his colleagues in the 119th Congress. ”
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Senate Minority Leader John Thune, who won Wednesday's secret vote to become the new Republican Senate leader, will play a key role in advancing President Trump's justice policies in the Senate. Thune wrote in an op-ed earlier this week that Senate Republicans intend to work with the president-elect to confirm nominees and pass a “common agenda.”
“As Congress returns to Washington, we must ensure that the Senate is prepared to advance its agenda legislatively so that the next president can confirm his appointees and begin work in earnest as soon as possible.” he wrote.
Senate Minority Leader John Thune, who won Wednesday's secret vote to become the new Republican Senate leader, will play a key role in advancing President Trump's justice policies in the Senate. (Ting Sheng/AFP via Getty Images)
President Trump expressed his opinion on the issue on social media on Sunday, writing, “Furthermore, Democrats are trying to ram the judges while Republicans are fighting for leadership, so we won't be able to confirm any judges during this period.” You shouldn't. This is wrong.” I accept. ”
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“In his first term, President Trump appointed constitutionalist judges who interpret the law as written, and he will do so again,” Trump and Vance transition spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement. he said in a statement.
