NWLC Reacts to Senate Deal Sacrificing Crucial Circuit Court Nominees
November 21, 2024 – Senate Democrats reportedly made a deal with Republicans to secure the confirmation of district court judge nominees at the cost of abandoning pending circuit court nominees.
Angel Padilla, vice president of strategy and policy at the National Women’s Law Center, issued the following statement:
“We are deeply disappointed by the reported deal to sacrifice four pending circuit court nominees in exchange for faster votes on district court judges. Democrats still have a majority in the Senate and therefore have time to get all of these nominees confirmed – they didn’t have to make this deal. All judicial confirmations are important and worth fighting for. Circuit court judges play a critical role in shaping the law and protecting civil rights, and decisions at this level often determine the outcome of cases involving reproductive freedom, LGBTQI+ rights, and democracy itself. These circuit court vacancies will now be filled by Donald Trump.
At a time when our rights and institutions are under relentless attack, this unnecessary and unhelpful compromise sets a dangerous precedent for the next four years. It undermines efforts to build a judiciary that will defend equal justice for all and sets the wrong tone for the fights ahead. Our position remains clear: the Senate must confirm every pending judicial nominee while Democrats lead the chamber. Backroom deals like this one only weaken the judiciary and jeopardize our hard-fought rights and freedoms. Senate Democrats must stand firm against extremism and prioritize the fight to protect our democracy.”