As a second Trump administration approaches, we’re running out of time to confirm as many federal judges as possible to provide a check on his presidential power and curb his stated policy priorities.
There are 40 federal judicial vacancies and 16 nominations before the Senate right now—as our civil rights hang in the balance, take action now!
Yesterday, Senators Hirono, Warren, and Schumer sought unanimous consent for the Senate to vote on over a dozen pending judicial nominees. Republican Senator Thom Tillis leapt up to object. “Tillis objected that the Senate shouldn’t be forced to do ‘things that have nothing to do with doing our jobs’ while action is needed on important matters like Zika, veterans, drug addiction and defense funding,” according to press reports.
This statement prompted Senator Elizabeth Warren to ask what part of the Constitution says that confirming judges isn’t the Senate’s job. Since, you know, Article II, Section 2 says that judicial appointments shall be made “by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.” [As part of doing the Senate’s job.
Come on, Senator Tillis. Processing nominations to all levels of the federal courts is clearly one of the key functions of the Senate. And Republican senators need to #DoYourJob, not only for these lower court nominees – many of whom were voted unanimously out of the Judiciary Committee, but also for Judge Merrick Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
