Senate Democrats are flexing their outgoing majority, filling a mass of court docket vacancies with liberal judges earlier than the Senate time period ends on Dec. 20—and earlier than they lose their majority in January.
“It’s far too important, and we’re not going to let anything stand in our way,” Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer instructed reporters on Tuesday. “Everyone should be prepared for another late night on Wednesday to vote on nominations and get as many judges done as possible.”
And a late evening it was, with the vote lasting to round midnight. Democrats succeeded in confirming two extra judges—one in Washington state and one in Washington, D.C. Since Donald Trump received the presidential election earlier this month, Senate Democrats have confirmed 9 judges, many to lifetime appointments. Few, if any, Republicans have supported the nominees.
Democrats have confirmed a brand new choose virtually each weekday since Nov. 12. And now they’re assured to vote on not less than one other 12.
On Thursday, Politico reported that Democratic leaders had negotiated behind the scenes to surrender 4 appellate judges in December in change for greater than a dozen district judges.
“The trade was four circuit nominees—all lacking the votes to get confirmed—for more than triple the number of additional judges moving forward,” a spokesperson for Schumer mentioned.
Lawmakers will take a weeklong recess the final week of November, then return with solely three weeks till the 118th congressional session ends, the place they’ll vote on seven judges as soon as senators return after Thanksgiving.
On Tuesday, Trump used his bully pulpit to inform Republicans to “Show Up and Hold the Line,” including, “No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!”
Republicans have additionally reportedly been getting more and more annoyed with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Marco Rubio, Trump’s choose for secretary of state, sabotaging their efforts by not exhibiting as much as vote. Each are at the moment senators.
White Home officers rapidly responded to Trump.
“There is no such thing as a excuse for selecting partisanship over implementing the rule of legislation,” mentioned White Home spokesperson Andrew Bates, in response to Trump.
“Regardless of party, the American people expect their leaders to fight for the rule of law and to ensure the criminal justice system can function effectively in every state,” Bates added. “Delaying the confirmation of highly qualified, experienced judges takes a real-life toll on constituents and leads to backlogs of criminal cases—meaning Senator [John] Thune was correct in 2020 when he said senators have every urgent reason for Republicans and Democrats to continue working together in good faith to staff the federal bench.”
Bates is referring to the truth that when the tables had been turned in 2020, after Joe Biden received, Trump had no challenge with confirming judges throughout the transition interval. In truth, throughout that lame-duck interval, the GOP-led Senate confirmed dozens of nominees with out lacking a beat.
“There is no time to waste,” mentioned Democrat Dick Durbin, chair of the Judiciary Committee. “The Senate must try to confirm every one of these highly qualified, diverse nominees before the sun sets on the 118th Congress. The American people deserve nothing less.”
Because the battle over judicial nominees unfolds, progressive teams are able to help the affirmation push. Progressive political group Demand Justice is getting ready to stake out at Capitol Hill within the coming weeks.
“Senate Democrats cannot give up and go home just because they lost the chamber,” Skye Perryman, a senior adviser to the progressive group Demand Justice, instructed the Related Press. “It is even more critical now that good, qualified, fair-minded judges are confirmed so they can serve as a backstop and uphold the rights of ordinary people and protect our Constitution.”
Senate Democrats’ affirmation blitz ought to present one thing of a judicial bulwark towards Trump’s radical agenda and his Cupboard stuffed with far-right, washed-up TV personalities.
