Friday, November 3, 2017

Four more Conservatives to the Circuit Court level

Senate Democrats backed away from an effort to slow-walk four of Donald Trump’s judicial nominees, the Washington Examiner reports, because they preferred not to work over the weekend. Their decision means that, likely by the end of Thursday, four Trump nominees will be installed on powerful appeals courts — at least three of whom are likely to be extraordinarily conservative judges.
McConnell made it clear that if the Democrats want to take a full 30 hours on each of Trump's nominees, that the Senate will just have to work the extra hours... rather than have it drag out into normal business hours. Some are still suggesting that McConnell will be devoting at least two days each week specifically to address Judicial nominees and pushing through the weekends if need be.

Trump started with 21 openings at the Circuit Court level out of 179 positions. He currently has 43 overall nominees (many at the District Court level) pending. If the Senate did "nothing" but confirm judicial nominees full time seven days a week, it would take eight weeks to confirm everyone. Of course, there are more openings (that are not pending with a nomination) to consider long term.

So far, the Democrats have forced a vote to end debate (an attempted filibuster) for every nominee but one, mainly for the effect of slow walking the confirmations. Approximately 15% of the Judges were pending nomination when Trump took office. If everything went according to how Trump and the Republicans want it, as much as 20% of the entire Federal Judiciary would be Trump nominees by the end of his first term. 

9 comments:

Loretta said...

"
Trump started with 21 openings at the Circuit Court level out of 179 positions. He currently has 43 overall nominees (many at the District Court level) pending."

Another reason Trump got elected.

We don't need more whack jobs in the courts.

Anonymous said...

Three of the FOUR are woman, how did that Happen, Trump HATES WOMAN?

wphamilton said...

I hope that the Senate "does nothing" but NOT confirm judicial nominees, as the Republicans blazed the trail. For the sake of the long term, there needs to be real consequences for that kind of behavior and foot-dragging on nominations would be appropriate.

After all, it's just as appropriate now as it was in the last two years of Obama's term. Trump is in worse shape than a lame duck. We need a new term for Trump's situation. Sick Duck, Plucked Duck. Just hold off until the American Voters have their say again.

Loretta said...

"hope that the Senate "does nothing" but NOT confirm judicial nominees, as the Republicans blazed the trail."

It appears you've forgotten the Bush judicial nominees blocked by the democrats...

...from 2001 to 2003.

Republican trail blazing my ass.

C.H. Truth said...

I hope that the Senate "does nothing" but NOT confirm judicial nominees, as the Republicans blazed the trail.

Well that's simply not going to happen.

It would appear that it's the one thing that they are not being completely dysfunctional with. I strongly suspect that most of the Circuit Court openings will be filled within the next few months.

wphamilton said...

We'll see - I'm not as confident about this Republican Congress's competence and political achievements as you are.

wphamilton said...

Bush judicial nominees blocked by the democrats..

And it cost them, but the GOP took obstruction to next level, so don't complain when they also pay the price ... as they will.

Loretta said...

"but the GOP took obstruction to next level, so don't complain when they also pay the price ... as they will."

Is this anything like wandering in the desert for the next fifty years?

wphamilton said...

One or two cycles generally seems to be the extent of the consequences from the electoral standpoint, but where it really costs them is in legislative and policy achievement. When you're weak, and have lost the support of the public, and the other side has their way, it doesn't matter much that you have a majority in Congress.

It's almost like political karma, and the Republicans stored up a huge load of it. Did they expect to be effective, after having recently approval ratings in the 20's and no actual achievements, just by pairing an idiot like Trump with fresh ideologues? Reasonable conservative Republicans are drowned out by stupid ideas.