New Judges Confirmed at Record Pace
Trump is gradually remaking the judiciary, as 39 judges are confirmed to U.S. circuit courts.
The Senate last week confirmed the 39th circuit-court judge under President Donald Trump. Judge Michael Park will join five other Republican-appointed active judges on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The Washington Times reports, “Trump flipped the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this year, taking it from a 7-4 Democratic edge in judicial appointees in 2017 to a 7-6 Republican edge among active judges.”
In fact, Trump is on a record pace that is transforming the judicial landscape. Prior to taking office, Democrat-appointed active judges held a 90-71 advantage over Republican-appointed ones across all the circuits. Now that advantage has been reversed with the number of Republican-appointed judges outnumbering Democrat appointments 90-83.
We have repeatedly noted through Trump’s first two years how Democrats actively sought to obstruct and slow down the confirmation process of his judicial nominees. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) finally had enough of Democrat delay tactics and instigated the so-called “nuclear option” a second time, changing the rules to lower the threshold for overcoming a filibuster.
Following the Senate’s 54-42 confirmation of Judge Joseph Bianco to the Second Circuit earlier this week, McConnell explained the reason he initiated the rule changes. He pointed out that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who had just voted against Bianco, was singing an entirely different tune 13 years ago when he said the ABA-approved judge was “outstandingly qualified and well respected.” Funny how a political agenda aimed at obstructing Trump will change a person’s opinion.