As we approach the holidays, there’s much to celebrate—including surprise unseasonal Senate fireworks! This week, Chair Dick Durbin held his ground in the Senate Judiciary Committee against conservatives’ last ditch effort to block the investigation into Supreme Court ethics. The result? A big win for democracy: The SJC yesterday issued subpoenas to secure the testimony of two of the far-right influence peddlers (and purchasers) driving some of the most high-profile Supreme Court ethical transgressions.
Also yesterday, the Senate confirmed Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park to the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, making her the only Native Hawaiian woman on the federal bench. And that’s not all—soon after Judge Park’s confirmation, cloture was filed to ensure the Senate votes expeditiously to confirm Irma Carrillo Ramírez to the Fifth Circuit, all the more important because of the prior administration’s radicalization of that court, and to confirm Judge Loren AliKhan to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. AliKhan will be the first South Asian woman to sit on that court and its only active Asian American or Pacific Islander judge.
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Looking forward, the SJC voted out U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon nominee Mustafa Kasubhai, U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California nominee Eumi Lee, U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut Sarah Russell, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit nominee Seth Aframe, and U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey nominee Edward Kiel, who would be the first Korean American to sit on that court, adding those five to the ranks of nominees eligible for a confirmation vote on the Senate floor in December.
Check out Alliance for Justice’s judicial nominations tracker.
Other successes include Wednesday’s double confirmation of now-Judge Micah Smith, who received all-too-rare bipartisan support, to the District Court for the District of Hawaii, and now-Judge Jamel Semper, a long-time public servant, to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. They follow Tuesday’s bipartisan confirmation of Judge Jeffrey Bryan, the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, and that of Judge Margaret Garnett to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The latest news out of the Senate Judiciary Committee shows that the Biden administration and Senate allies are pushing ahead and doing what it takes to fill every judicial vacancy—working with senators from both parties to secure highly qualified and impartial nominees and as many confirmations as possible. |
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If there were any doubt that the Biden administration and allies have achieved and are maintaining momentum, Wednesday’s hearing, spanning a stunning six nominees, put it to rest.
The nominees before the committee yesterday were Julie Sneed, a former litigator and current magistrate judge up for confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida; Kirk Sherriff, nominated to replace Judge Ana de Alba, now of the Ninth Circuit, to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California; David Leibovitz, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida; Judge Melissa Damian, a former litigator and current judge nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida; Judge Jacqueline Becerra, similarly doubly qualified, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida; and Judge Jacquelyn Austin to the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, who has the support of both South Carolina senators.
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As of the end of September, the Biden administration had confirmed 9 federal appellate judges and 52 federal district court judges for a total of 61 Article III judicial confirmations in 2023 alone—so far.
We continue to marvel at and root for November 15 nominees Adeel Mangi, nominated to the Third Circuit and set to be the first Muslim American appellate judge; Nicole Berner, openly LGBTQ labor law guru nominated to the Fourth Circuit; and Judge Amy Baggio, the former public defender nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
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Spend Time with AFJ in Real Time |
ICYMI: A reminder that you’ve got plans on Tuesday, December 5 at 3 pm EST! Alliance for Justice will be hosting a conversation between AFJ President Rakim H.D. Brooks and Michael Waldman, President and CEO of the Brennan Center, about his new book: The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America.
Tune in for insights into the current Supreme Court term and beyond. Rakim and Michael will cover the far-right super-majority’s evil deeds and ongoing machinations with continuing implications for everything from abortion access to LGBTQ+ rights to gun laws to affirmative action—plus the relationship between the Court’s ethical scandals and low favorability.
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