Trump, California, and the U.S. Federal Court System

American Thinker.com ^ | September 17, 2020 | Brett McCrea

[Kaslin]

The wisdom of then Senate majority leader Harry Reid’s decision to change centuries-old Senate rules to allow a simple majority vote for appeals and district court justices was clearly warned against. Many Republicans plainly stated to Democrats: do not do this. Reid’s 2013 move reset the threshold for circuit and appeals judicial confirmation from 60 senate votes to 51 (It also set in motion a change in Supreme Court confirmations to the same 51 vote threshold stewarded by current Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell).

One of the most intriguing fallouts from Reid’s fateful decision is the battle within the confirmation battle that is raging in the Senate Judicial Committee’s mission to confirm judicial nominees. This smaller engagement appears to be very apparent, not only the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, but to three of the four district courts in California. Arguably, California is the leading liberal state in the U.S. Sacramento absolutely comports itself as such with supermajorities in both legislative houses and the governorship and most (if not all) statewide elected offices.

Then came the election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States. He was very clear early on in his campaign that the Federalist Society was going to provide the resource pool for his judicial nominees. Well, that impact was definitely felt in the push to confirm judges for the Appellate Courts in the U.S. The effect in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was immense. No other President has had more of his nominees confirmed than President Trump. He has had ten nominees confirmed to that appellate court, meaning over 30% of that court are Trump nominees.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Remember too, all this came to a head, with the nomination of Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. The filibuster for Supreme Court nominees was still in place at that time. But Chuck Schumer decided to filibuster that nomination, which led to a vote at that time to do the “nuclear option” on Supreme Court nominees not being subject to filibuster.

If Chuck had held off, Democrats could have tried to filibuster the Kavanaugh nomination, but, it was already jettisoned by then, due to Democrats own bad political manuvering on that issue.

[nikos1121]

Undoubtedly, the very best thing to come out of Harry Reid’s tenure. The smart @ss thought he had pulled a fast one on us.

Keep in mind that people like Lindsay Graham and Mccain and others, wanted to go back to a 2/3rds majority for approving judgeships.

[No_More_Harkin]

Further proof Democrats cannot lead. They think a week ahead, never considering consequences of their actions.

[Liz]

Further proof Democrats cannot lead. They think a week ahead, never considering the consequences of their actions.

Amen.

[knarf]