Senate Democrats are anticipated to dedicate hours of flooring time within the coming weeks as a part of a last-minute effort to substantiate as lots of President Joe Biden’s nominees to the federal judiciary earlier than President-elect Donald Trump takes over in January — but Senate Republicans thwarted their efforts late Monday evening, a plan from their soon-to-be chief Sen. John Thune and a reversal from his earlier stance on blocking confirmations of certified judicial nominees.
Senate Republicans rebelled late Monday evening, dragging out the ground course of by forcing Democrats to carry time-consuming votes on procedural motions which might be often routine and in any other case mundane. Actions that ought to have taken minutes on the ground as a substitute took hours.
Thune, who takes over as Republican chief of the Senate in January, took credit score for the rebel saying in an announcement that Republicans wouldn’t “roll over” to nominate Biden’s nominees to the federal bench within the “closing weeks of the Democrat majority.”
“If Sen. Schumer thought Senate Republicans would simply roll over and permit him to shortly verify a number of Biden-appointed judges to lifetime jobs within the closing weeks of the Democrat majority, he thought fallacious,” Thune mentioned in an announcement to ABC Information.
Thune’s assertion vowing to hinder the judicial affirmation course of within the closing hours of the Biden presidency is a departure from feedback he made just some years in the past towards the top of Trump’s administration. On the time, Thune touted the significance of confirming judges to the bench, saying it was “one in every of our most essential obligations as senators” and one of many most important causes he ran for the Senate.
Senator John newly elected Senate Majority Chief for the upcoming 119th Congress, speaks to reporters on the U.S. Capitol, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photographs
“Mr. President, confirming good judges is one in every of our most essential obligations as senators. And it is a duty I take very critically,” Thune mentioned throughout a flooring speech on Nov. 18 2020 — after Biden gained the election.
“After George W. Bush’s election, Democrats determined that the president’s judicial nominees may not ship the outcomes Democrats needed. And so, they determined to undertake a brand new technique — blocking judicial nominees regularly,” Thune mentioned throughout his remarks in 2020. “I used to be one of many many People upset by the blockade of proficient, well-qualified nominees. And it was one of many most important causes I ran for the Senate. I promised South Dakotans that in the event that they elected me, I might assist put excellent judges on the bench.”
“In actual fact, one of many most important causes I used to be first elected to the Senate was to ensure excellent judicial nominees have been confirmed to the federal bench. It is arduous to think about now, however confirming judges was once a reasonably bipartisan affair,” Thune mentioned on the time.
His feedback from 2020 are a notable reversal from his feedback this week, as Senate Republicans look to hinder Democrats as they try to do the identical for Biden.
Schumer although, doubled down on his efforts Tuesday, and mentioned he expects the Senate to work late into the evening once more this Wednesday to get the nominees by way of. Senate Democrats are hoping to substantiate as many judges to lifetime appointments as they’ll whereas Biden remains to be president.
Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer speaks throughout a press convention following the Democrats coverage luncheon on the U.S. Capitol constructing in Washington, Nov. 13, 2024.
Allison Robbert/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
“Members needs to be ready for one more late evening on Wednesday to vote on the nominations I filed final evening,” Schumer warned.
“Voting on the president’s judicial nominees is a core operate of the Senate. It is one in every of our fundamental obligations, and we will perform that duty so long as this majority continues. I am very pleased with the judges we have confirmed over the previous 4 years beneath this administration, they’ve all been extremely certified people, and collectively, they symbolize a variety of experiences and areas of experience.”
Schumer touted the standard of judges the Senate has handed beneath his management, noting their many backgrounds and cultures and identities. He mentioned beneath his watch, the Senate has confirmed a document variety of girls and other people of shade to the federal bench.
Republicans have Democrats’ document on judicial confirmations beat.
Republicans confirmed 234 of Trump’s nominees to the federal courts throughout his 4 years in workplace, and to this point the Democrat-controlled Senate has confirmed 216 beneath Biden’s administration.
“We’re not completed,” Schumer mentioned on the ground Tuesday. “There are extra judges to think about and make sure.”
Schumer vowed to spend the remainder of the week — and the 12 months — confirming extra judges. Each decide confirmed on this lame-duck session of Congress is one fewer emptiness Trump can fill come January.
