The New York Times editorial board is urging the Senate to confirm “as many judges as possible” prior to President-elect Trump’s second term.
“It’s so important that President Biden and Senate Democrats confirm as many judges as possible to the federal bench in the weeks before Republicans assume control of the Senate," the board wrote Tuesday, adding that each position left open will likely be filled with "extreme judges" by Trump.
“Many of his appointees went on to limit the ability to vote, upend fundamental reproductive rights and reduce oversight and checks on the power of the executive branch,” the board wrote about Trump's first term choices for judgeships.
Last week, the Senate unveiled a deal to finish work on seven of Biden’s nine judicial nominees who were previously stalled. According to an aide for Senate Democratic leadership, the upper chamber is going to finish confirming each judge that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) brought to the floor last week after the Thanksgiving recess.
Republicans consented to accelerate the consideration of district court judicial nominees and Democrats agreed to not hold votes for four of the president’s appellate court nominees.
Earlier in the week, Trump pushed for the Senate to halt the confirmations of judges before he enters the White House.
“Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door,” adding that “Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social.
The editorial board wrote that Trump supporters "have repeatedly made it clear they expect [Trump] to choose judges who agree with his expansive definition of executive power" and that "a new slate of his appointees in the lower courts is likely to find new ways to build on the Supreme Court’s grant of immunity and allow [Trump's] dictates to become a new American reality."
“Given the right’s relentless focus on pushing the judiciary in its direction, it is even possible that Mr. Trump will pressure Congress to create more judgeships that he could quickly fill or use recess appointments to simply bypass the confirmation process for unqualified judges,” the board added.
The Hill has reached out to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s (Ky.) office, incoming Senate Republican Leader John Thune’s (S.D.) office, the Trump transition team, the White House and Schumer’s office for comment.
