On November 7, the Senate confirmed then-longest waiting judicial nominee Kenly Kiya Kato, a former federal public defender with experience in civil rights and employment law litigation, to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a thrilling step forward for both demographic and professional diversity. Her confirmation was followed on November 9 by that of Mónica Ramírez Almadani, previously President and CEO of pro bono law firm Public Counsel—the largest provider of pro bono legal services in the country—and an immigration law professor, also to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
And that’s not all!
On November 13, the Senate confirmed Judge Ana de Alba, a first-generation Mexican-American and champion of civil and labor rights, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. On a sweet note, Senate Judiciary Chair Durbin honored his late colleague from California in his congratulations to the newly confirmed circuit judge, noting that “Judge de Alba exemplifies the lasting legacy of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, who recommended Judge de Alba for nomination to the bench.” De Alba’s confirmation makes way for President Biden’s nominee Kirk Sherriff to be confirmed to her former seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
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A Crack in the Supreme Court Facade |
Facing consistently abysmal reviews from the American public, the Supreme Court made a surprise announcement last Monday: The justices claimed they’d be adopting, for the first time ever, a “Code of Conduct for Justices.” As might be expected of the Roberts Court, the substance of the “Code” fell far short of the fanfare with which it was released. For more, read Senior Aron Justice Counsel Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza’s rundown of the latest Supreme sham.
One more sign of pressure: Robin Arkley II decided to cooperate with the Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into Supreme Court corruption, dropping the number of far-right figures the Senate Judiciary Committee will have to subpoena to two. That said, Senate Republicans are resisting accountability as fiercely as ever, attempting to shield mega-donor Harlan Crow and architect of the far-right takeover of the federal courts Leonard Leo from anything resembling official scrutiny.
Not everyone’s good under pressure: Senator Lindsey Graham, the ranking Republican on SJC, colorfully threatened Democrats as they move forward with subpoenas, “You’re gonna have a complete shitshow. That’s what you want, and that’s what you’re gonna get.” Graham and his sidekicks’ latest tactic? Hurling amendment after amendment—now more than 100!—at Democrats to delay the issuance of subpoenas.
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The White House has announced its forty-second round of judicial nominations. These include the nomination of openly LGBTQ labor lawyer extraordinaire and Planned Parenthood alumna Nicole Berner to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; Adeel Mangi to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, where he will become the first Muslim to serve on any United States Court of Appeals; and Judge Amy Baggio, former public defender and experienced state court judge, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
For more on these exceptional nominees and a statement from President Rakim H.D. Brooks, head to Alliance for Justice’s November 15 write-up. |
Join AFJ on Tuesday, December 5 at 3 pm EST for a conversation about Michael Waldman’s book, The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America, and what it can teach us about the current 2023-2024 Supreme Court term. Hosted by Alliance for Justice, the discussion will feature Michael Waldman, President and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, and Rakim H.D. Brooks, President of Alliance for Justice.
The conversation will cover the actions of the ultraconservative 6-3 Trump-installed majority over the last few Supreme Court terms and their outrageous decisions on everything from abortion access to LGBTQ+ rights to gun laws to affirmative action—plus the relationship between the Court’s overreach (and never-ending ethical scandals) and low favorability. Tune in to learn about not just what’s happened but what we can do about it as Waldman lays out much-needed proposals to reform the Court. |
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