Trump and Senate Republicans continue to shamelessly stack our federal courts with more ideological extremists. The total number of confirmations to lifetime appointments on the federal bench under Trump is now 157—nearly one-fifth of the entire federal judiciary, and one-quarter of all circuit court judgeships.
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported out two Circuit Court nominees, Danielle Hunsaker (9th Circuit, Oregon) and William Nardini (2nd Circuit, Connecticut, as well as two district court nominees, Karen Marston (Eastern District of Pennsylvania) and Anuraag Singhal (Southern District of Florida). We anticipated that controversial nominees, Steven Menashi (2nd Circuit, New York), Halil Ozerden (5th Circuit, Mississippi), and Sarah Pitlyk (Eastern District of Missouri) to also be reported out, but they and a few other nominees were instead held over and are on the agenda of the next Senate Judiciary Committee markup on October 31.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans will continue to place party over country in their pursuit to stack our federal courts with loyalists who are ideological extremists. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a markup this week, and among the nominees expected to receive votes are Sarah Pitlyk (Eastern District of Missouri) and controversial nominee Steven Menashi (Second Circuit Court of Appeals). Halil Ozerden (Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals) is also listed on the October 24th agenda, but it remains unclear whether he will get a vote. Chairman Lindsey Graham did not bring up Ozerden last week because he did not have the votes to get him through committee (Republican Sens Cruz and Hawley oppose, and likely so do all 10 committee Democrats). No floor votes, nor hearings on judicial nominations are scheduled this week.