Posts on how judges rule against Trump and the administration’s defiance

Judges are ruling against Trump’s illegal immigration policies. However, the administration is defying them with no consequences. We can’t count on the Trump court. They help Trump.

Democrats Are Headed for a Disaster with Unfilled Judicial Vacancies

— Me in ⁦@Slate⁩ on what Democrats need to do to avoid it—starting with more nominees and more hearings https://t.co/POjalKsZov
— Chris Kang (@cdkang76) July 5, 2022

In other news, more than 30 progressive groups are launching a new effort to push Biden and Senate Democrats to fill every single court vacancy this year. https://t.co/QAp4Wxv5WC
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) June 30, 2022

Democrats need to do better on filling judicial vacancies

The problem isn't just that Democrats refuse to consider serious court reform. It's that *Democrats aren't filling open seats right now* in federal district courts because, for unfathomable reasons, they are letting red state senators block nominees. It's completely outrageous. https://t.co/VbZ2NLeHiQ
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) June 29, 2022

This is unconscionable. Any vacant circuit or district court seat come the new Senate is a massive failure to govern that cannot be blamed on the filibuster. Democrats have a majority and they better start acting on it. https://t.co/wYvLobxNkc
— Jake Meiseles (@Jmeiseles) June 29, 2022

Joe Biden will keep doing this stuff https://t.co/NlOVJf4KWk
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 29, 2022

No Republican president would do this

.@RepJohnYarmuth opposes nomination: "…it’s clear that this is part of some larger deal on judicial nominations between the president & McConnell. I strongly oppose this deal & Meredith being nominated for the position. That last thing we need is another extremist on the bench"
— Joe Sonka 😐 (@joesonka) June 29, 2022

Trump-appointed judge strikes down CDC travel mask mandate

The ABA rated her not qualified when she was nominated.

The judge is a Trump appointee who was rated unqualified when nominated & had never tried a case. She clerked for Justice Thomas. Elections matter in more ways than one. This injunction will have nationwide effect-at least until the 11th Cir (hopefully) reverses. https://t.co/hKuuc44isg
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) April 18, 2022

JUST IN: Federal judge strikes down the CDC's mask mandate for travel on planes and other forms of public transportation https://t.co/ae0x2wu9EE
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 18, 2022

The judge who made this ruling, age 33 when (lifetime) appointed by Trump, was rammed through by GOP *after* the 2020 election, and was deemed “not qualified” by the ABA

For your “Oh, yes, integrity of the federal judiciary really matters” file. https://t.co/OAofx7XoQ9 https://t.co/hlBOO9owzz
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) April 18, 2022

the judge is 35 with a lifetime appointment. seems bad. https://t.co/CKv4XHUt3F
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) April 18, 2022

Biden is appointing a lot of judges

Schumer’s office sends me these numbers, which align with my own reporting on judicial confirmations under Biden.

Bottom line is that Biden is crushing it on judges, filling vacancies much faster than any of his recent predecessors. pic.twitter.com/UnaB2p2Lxd
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) November 1, 2021

As Democrats haggle over Build Back Better, the Senate is churning out Biden-picked federal judges.

The Schumer-led Senate has confirmed six this week alone, bringing Biden's total to 25 judges.

For now, Biden is outpacing Trump, who had inked a total of 8 judges at this stage.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 27, 2021

Schumer has done everything you could ask for, not only in terms of recommending professionally diverse judges for vacancies in New York, but in prioritizing Biden's picks on the Senate floor to ensure they get confirmed quickly. Bravo @SenSchumer https://t.co/xevq4DxvVR
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 27, 2021

President Biden is outpacing every other president since Richard Nixon in confirming circuit court judges, who have the last word in most federal cases.https://t.co/TgTKuVcFXA
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 23, 2021

New —> Joe Biden is quietly making history on the courts

Senate just confirmed his fifth circuit judge with a public defender background, matching Obama’s number over 8 years. Part of a White House push to rewrite the playbook for who gets to be a judge.https://t.co/T7F4NmgYUs
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 19, 2021

NEW: Biden has two more opportunities to fill seats on the Second Circuit, opening the door for him to bolster the liberal wing of a court already tipping toward a Democratic-appointed majority. https://t.co/ys1kFtad0J
— Madison Alder (@madialder) October 7, 2021

Court expansion is not just about revenge, it's about REFORM. The federal system desperately needs more judges. The Senate needs to confirm judges Biden has nominated AND expand the courts to add more.
It's what McConnell would do.
My latest in @thenation https://t.co/hTvBVAfEeL
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) October 1, 2021

New this am: Biden has nominated 10 more to the federal bench, bringing total nominations to 53.
Of those 53, a WH official says:
– 72% are women
– 28% are African-American
– 21% are Hispanic
– 23% are AAPIhttps://t.co/nYy4tBq3hs
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) September 30, 2021

President Biden nominates 10 more to the federal bench, with a continued focus on diversity https://t.co/lhmY4CaZst
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 30, 2021

President Biden has acted on @SenSchumer's recommendation and nominated Dale Ho, the top voting rights lawyer at @ACLU who argued against Trump's politicization of the census, to be a federal judge in NY. This is one of Biden's finest choices for the benchpic.twitter.com/IvKM5y16lo
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) September 30, 2021

The U.S. Senate confirms Florence Pan as the first Asian American woman to serve as a federal district court judge in Washington, D.C. https://t.co/1FbeQr2EXK
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 24, 2021

.@POTUS has now added more federal judges to the bench than any new President in 50 years. https://t.co/2qahOwDUMr
— Ronald Klain (@WHCOS) September 21, 2021

Today’s Senate confirmation of Judge Veronica Rossman makes her the first-ever former public defender to serve on the Tenth Circuit—and flips the federal appeals court to a majority of Democratic appointees. https://t.co/jWO3Mrs2E9 pic.twitter.com/srzvIVagPA
— Balls & Strikes (@ballsstrikes) September 20, 2021

Trump judges update 12/18/19

They just keep forcing through conservative judges after having blocked Obama nominees.

The Senate confirmed 13 new judges this week.

Donald Trump has now picked 185 judges:

—133 district court judges
—50 circuit court judges
—2 Supreme Court justices

That’s more than 1/5th of the federal bench.

The new batch fits the trend: young conservatives, mostly 40s/50s.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 20, 2019

While the House has been focused on impeachment, the Senate just advanced TEN of Trump's judges.

Only Dems to vote for LESS THAN HALF:

Mazie Hirono: 0/10
Kirsten Gillibrand: 2/10
Ed Markey: 2/10
Brian Schatz: 3/10
Chuck Schumer: 3/10
Jeff Merkley: 4/10
Ron Wyden: 4/10
— Jonathan "Boo and Vote" Cohn (@JonathanCohn) December 19, 2019

While the rest of Washington focused on impeachment proceedings, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell forced a deal with Democrats to expedite 11 federal district judge nominations https://t.co/zbyyf6dcOi
— CNN (@CNN) December 18, 2019

Why do they support Trump? It’s about the judges. McConnell held seats open for years during the Obama administration, hoping for this opportunity. Democrats need to wise up about the courts as an issue in Presidential/Senate races. https://t.co/t5PP6O82zF
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) December 18, 2019

Pres. Trump and Senate Majority Leader McConnell have seated a 174 federal judges in just 3 years and they're on track to seat more – shaping the courts for years to come. https://t.co/00YuGvOoiU
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 17, 2019

BREAKING: As the House prepares to vote on impeachment this week, @senatemajldr just moved forward on THIRTEEN more of Trump’s judicial nominees, including three who refused to say that #BrownvBoard was correctly decided.

If confirmed by the Senate, they will serve for life. pic.twitter.com/o0QeEIETVh
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 16, 2019

Trump has made the federal courts whiter and more male. Nearly two-thirds of his judicial nominees have been white men, more than twice their share of the U.S. population. Trump has not nominated a single African American appellate judge. https://t.co/82bYnWmmbo
— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) December 16, 2019

Trump tells his Fox town hall that partly thanks to McConnell Obama left him 142 judicial vacancies (104) and that usually you're left 0 and if you get even 1 you're lucky (not even close to true). https://t.co/VGz6lbgnGt pic.twitter.com/Hc8C42bxGr
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 5, 2020

Update on Trump Judges – 12/13/19

Trump has made a lasting impact on the federal judicial system through his many appointments. McConnell blocked Obama from making appointments which created vacancies for Trump. Some of Trump’s appointments are unqualified but he doesn’t care. I don’t think Trump, who is clearly a criminal (based on payments to women, his foundation, Trump U, emoluments in addition to the Russia/Ukraine stuff), should be appointing judges.

McConnell confirmed as many circuit court judges this week as he did the entire last two years of Obama’s presidency.

It’s no accident that Trump inherited so many vacancies. All part of their plan to stack the courts with lifetime judges who’ll roll back our rights for decades. https://t.co/Xg6DTDpzsb
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 13, 2019

This is as cynical and ugly as it gets. McConnell openly and giddily admits that he embarked on what he calls "the judges project" — deigned to keep federal judgeships vacant under the Democratic president and hold the #stolenseats so they could ONLY be filled by a Republican. https://t.co/2vvqmunPBm
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 13, 2019

The American Bar Association warned that VanDyke was too lazy to be a judge. The ABA's assessment was corroborated internal emails at VanDyke's workplace.

Rather than saying to Trump "can you send us someone who wants to work?" GOP senators attacked the ABA. https://t.co/3e4rIZHak5
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) December 11, 2019

APPALLING: Senate Republicans just confirmed Lawrence VanDyke to the 9th Circuit – Trump’s 50th circuit court judge. Yes, FIFTY.

VanDyke has a TERRIBLE civil rights record and was rated Not Qualified by the ABA. Now he has a lifetime seat on a federal appeals court.

Wow.
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 11, 2019

Devastating piece. Hard to fathom.https://t.co/m1P45LWiHc
— The Mr Sir Luke (@mrlukealexander) December 9, 2019

Trump is getting plenty of Democratic help in confirming these judges — the latest five were confirmed 76-13, 68-21, 88-4, 89-4, 64-29. https://t.co/dw7nchFL5p
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 6, 2019

It's like they're racing to place as many far-right wing judges as possible before impeachment lands in the Senate's lap. Never forget the real priority for the GOP: controlling the courts for a generation, so that the demographic & ideological change that's coming won't matter. https://t.co/jUZh2d9MGQ
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 5, 2019

The Senate confirmed EIGHT new federal judges this week, bringing Donald Trump's total to 170.

—120 on district courts
—48 on circuit courts
—2 on Supreme Court

Nearly all are in their 40s or 50s with lifetime appointments and positioned to shape American law for generations.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 5, 2019

Senate Republicans are about to confirm Sarah Pitlyk to a district court in Missouri. She was rated not qualified and has a highly controversial record on reproductive rights. She should not have a lifetime seat on the federal bench. I'll vote against her nomination. #StopPitlyk https://t.co/RwPVN9k02q
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 4, 2019

Stunning: Sen. @ChrisCoons asked 11th Circuit pick Brasher for ONE example of a discriminatory voting restriction instituted after SCOTUS gutted the VRA. He said “I have not researched that issue. I have not researched the issue of voting law changes after Shelby County.”

What?!
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) December 4, 2019

Today the Senate will vote on the nomination of Sarah Pitlyk to serve in a lifetime judgeship. Pitlyk once claimed that fertility treatments and surrogacy have “grave effects on society” and “disrespect motherhood”. She is unfit to serve. The Senate should reject her nomination.
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) December 4, 2019

This video is terrifying for many reasons. There's also this: McConnell’s tweet celebrating Trump’s circuit court picks ignores that – nearly 3 years in – Trump STILL hasn’t named a single Black circuit court nominee.

Trump-McConnell whitewashing of federal bench is outrageous. https://t.co/0JnxlcP9Nc
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) November 25, 2019

It's all about enduring minority rule. @ejdionne puts the pieces together and explains exactly what's at stake. https://t.co/hfC17C5NA1
— David Daley (@davedaley3) November 25, 2019

Republicans keep appointing judges

Republicans take judicial appointments much more seriously than Democrats do. As far as I know, no Democrat has raised it as a campaign issue. Republicans blocked Obama appointments and have loaded up with Trump appointed judges. The conservative judges will overturn progressive laws in the future.

Mitch McConnell pushed through nine more lifetime federal judges TODAY (13 this week), bringing Trump's total to 144.

There’s more than the presidency on the ballot in 2020. We need pro-civil rights senators who recognize the importance of the courts in the fight for our rights. https://t.co/a9VNpKeRXE
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) August 1, 2019

It may be the most consequential thing Trump ever does yet there's little talk of it in the 2020 primary. Democrats haven't figured out how to talk about judges come election time; Republicans know how to message it effectively. https://t.co/TE3AYf78ZO
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 13, 2019

NPR this morning has an alarming report on how Trump has now appointed nearly 1 in every 4 federal appeals court judges.https://t.co/KV018xoV9p
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) August 2, 2019

Here's what we do know about the judicial nominees that McConnell is trying to fast track: 11 of the 19 refused to say that Brown v. Board was correctly decided. Call your Senators. 202-224-3121 https://t.co/KizS77JPiL
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) July 31, 2019

Meantime, the Senate tonight is advancing 11 of Trump’s judicial nominees for lifetime seats on the federal bench
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 31, 2019

👉🏾18 states have never seated a Black justice.
👉🏾Right now, 24 states do not have a single justice of color on their state high court bench
👉🏾Women hold only 36% of state supreme court seats

Read more in our latest report: https://t.co/zQBTczv0XX pic.twitter.com/6Fj4LDWk1P
— Brennan Center (@BrennanCenter) July 27, 2019

Addressing the substantial racial and gender disparities on today’s state supreme courts is one of many necessary steps toward building a judiciary – and democracy – accessible to and reflective of the diverse communities in the United States. https://t.co/0EhqZQsWQs
— Brennan Center (@BrennanCenter) July 26, 2019

McConnell moves to confirm 19 judges next week and not 1 politician that wants Election Security should vote for them. #MoscowMitch #CriminalTrump https://t.co/84wfumD5Jd
— Not Exonerated 🆘 (@equalandallied1) July 26, 2019

Liberals are weighing whether to gut the few bipartisan norms still standing by expanding the size of the Supreme Court and completely eliminating the ability of senators to have a say on judges from their home states https://t.co/uJg6Mnoq2T
— POLITICO (@politico) July 22, 2019

I agree with both ideas.

Democrats should adopt Republican tactics on judges

When we get a Democratic president, Democrats should not go back to bipartisan tactics like the blue ship and 60 vote threshold. Those policies would be better for the country but they don’t work if only one party follows them. There is no reason to think that Republicans will change their terrible tactics because they are working. They stole a Supreme Court seat and Trump has filled many lower seats Republicans wouldn’t let Obama fill.

It takes both sides for bipartisanship and Republicans clearly don’t care about it. I hope the next Democratic president and senate act the way the Republicans do now.

Liberals are weighing whether to gut the few bipartisan norms still standing by expanding the size of the Supreme Court and completely eliminating the ability of senators to have a say on judges from their home states https://t.co/uJg6Mnoq2T
— POLITICO (@politico) July 22, 2019

Liberals identify judges for the post-Trump era

Liberals have begun identifying judges that could be nominated by the next Democratic president.

This is an excellent idea. The Republicans have done an excellent job of finding and approving conservative judges and Democrats need to do the same thing.

Category: Judges