McConnell tees up five Trump judges after impeachment trial wraps

The Hill ^ | 02 05 2020 | Jordain Carney

[yesthatjallen]

With the weeks-long impeachment trial ending Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is wasting no time turning the chamber's focus back to his self-professed top priority: confirming judicial nominations.

McConnell teed up five judicial nominations for votes on the Senate floor as the chamber wrapped up its work for the week.

The Senate is expected to take its first procedural vote on the slate Monday evening, when Republicans will need a simple majority to end the debate on Andrew Brasher's nomination to be a judge on the Eleventh Circuit.

Once Brasher is confirmed, the Senate will turn to the nominations of Joshua Kindred, Matthew Schelp, Joshua Kness and Philip Halpern, all of whom have been picked to be U.S. district judges.

The Senate could easily fit all five nominations into its schedule for next week.

Under a rules change enacted last year, district court nominees only need an additional two hours of debate once they overcome an initial procedural hurdle.

The Senate has confirmed 187 judicial nominees for President Trump since he took office, including two Supreme Court picks.

If all five are confirmed, that would bring the total number of Trump judicial nominees confirmed since 2017 to 192.

SNIP

[Grampa Dave]

The scab picking loons that have been trying to crap on this most wonderful day are pi$$ing me off.

They are our insane Nanzis, and they are never satisfied like terrible two year olds.

[NetAddicted]

Bravo!

[KC_Conspirator]

I like this side of McConell; sane, thoughtful judges. I also remember when dems changed long standing rules and he warned dems they would regret it, sooner than they realize. He was right.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

What he's done with judges goes beyond just eliminating the judicial filibuster. McConnell also ended the practice of giving home-state Senators the power to veto judicial nominees via the "blue slip" practice, and also shortened the debate time for judges.

It's really classic McConnell. If he has the power/votes to push something through, he pushes that advantage as hard as he can.

[Brown Deer]

Justice Ginsburg: Not '100% sober' at State of the Union
Feb. 13, 2015

WASHINGTON – For Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, falling asleep at the State of the Union address is nothing new. All it takes is a good glass of wine.

As she did two years ago, Ginsburg admitted Thursday night that, yes, the photos of her appearing to nod off at President Obama's big speech last month showed her dozing. "As I often do," she said.

But there was a good reason, she added: "I wasn't 100% sober."

[Brown Deer]

Chief Justice Roberts attends Trump's State of the Union amid impeachment trial

The three other justices expected to be at Tuesday's address are Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Kagan, appointed to the court by President Barack Obama, has also attended every one of the events since she came onto the court in fall 2010. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are Trump appointees.

Roberts, Kagan, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are the same four who attended last year's State of the Union address by Trump.

As for the other justices, Clarence Thomas rarely attends the event. Stephen Breyer was understood to be traveling and coping with the flu. Samuel Alito stopped going after 2010, when he was seen mouthing the words "not true" as Obama blasted the court for its Citizens United decision, which allowed corporations and labor unions to make campaign-related contributions. Sonia Sotomayor is sometimes present and sometimes not.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg has never attended a State of the Union speech when a Republican is president.

[lepton]

Standard question on their interrogation sheets. The DemoCommies have replaced the “”Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party of the United States?” with “”Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Federalist Society?”

---

“Do you now or have you ever been able to read the law as written?”

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

How many do you think were confirmed while the Senate was tied up with impeachment?

And why do you think the Democrats wanted to tie the Senate up with “just one more witness" until the cows come home?

[colorado tanker]

Victory lap!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Are they Trump’s judges, or mcconnell’s?

Trump nominates, but McConnell gets the senate confirmations.

[MIA_eccl1212]

This is Mitch McConnell’s discreet manner for saying F U Nancy Pelosi.

[MIA_eccl1212]

I saw Justice Thomas there and one of the off screen shots, he was shall we say relaxing or perhaps taking a little snooze. Otherwise known as a power nap. Go Justice Thomas!!

[QualityMan]

yeah, go figure... :)

well, he has been on a judicial confirmation roll for most of Trumps term.

glad to see he got back to the business at hand without delay..

[Gator113]

Perfect. ;>)

[terycarl]

As far as your tag line goes, I’m a huge packers fan but they need to bolster their defense!!