How Many Public Defenders And Voting Rights Lawyers Does It Take To Fill Joe Biden's Federal Bench?

All of them, Katie.

The Senate is at work putting butts in seats!

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held several hearings on President Joe Biden's nominees for the federal bench. The committee advances five nominees: Eunice Lee to the Second Circuit, Veronica Rossman to the 10th Circuit, and Tana Lin, David Estudillo, and Lauren King to the Western District of Washington. Their nominations will now go to the full Senate, where all five are expected to be confirmed.

We've told you , again and again , about how good Joe Biden has been at picking judges. And we are happy to report that is still the case!

If confirmed, these judges will be:

• The only Black woman and only person with experience as a public defender on the Second Circuit (Eunice Lee).

• The first immigrant and only former public defender on the 10th Circuit (Veronica Rossman).

• The first Native American federal district judge in Washington (Lauren King).

• The first Asian American federal district judge in Washington (Tana Lin). And

• The second Latino federal district judge in Washington (David Estudillo).

Like Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said ,

"President Biden is proving his commitment to nominating judges who are extremely well qualified, possess a deep commitment to civil and human rights, have varied professional experiences, and reflect the diversity of America. We commend the Senate Judiciary Committee members who voted to advance five incredible nominees whose professional and lived experiences will bring tremendous value to our federal courts. Together, Biden and the Senate are taking the exact bold action needed to make sure our courts work for all of us, not just those who are wealthy and powerful. The Senate must now swiftly confirm all of these highly respected and qualified nominees."

We agree!

More hearings!

The Senate Judiciary Committee also held confirmation hearings for a bunch of other Biden judges this week. Most of those hearings didn't make waves, but one of Biden's appellate court picks has drawn the ire of the Senate's right wing. They just really don't like that Biden has nominated a (1) Latina (2) woman (3) voting rights litigator to the Second Circuit.

Myrna Pérez is the current director of the Brennan Center for Justice , and has been one of the country's top voting rights lawyers for 15 years. This is a problem for Republicans, who don't actually believe that "voting" is a "right."

Insurrectionist leaders Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz are particularly upset with Pérez's nomination. And that makes sense, since they have appointed themselves co-chairs of the Anti-Democracy Caucus.

Cruz, who gleefully shilled for sociopathic, ideological Trump nominees the last four years, called Pérez a "radical activist."

"I see your career as someone who has been an activist, and I believe a radical activist," Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said. "You have waged litigation campaigns and opposed voter ID laws, you have opposed voter integrity laws, you have opposed prohibitions on ballot harvesting, you have advocated for felons being able to vote. I'm left with the very likely conclusion you would likewise be a radical activist on the bench."

And Hawley repeatedly asked Pérez about whether she felt  Brnovich v. DNC  , the recent SCOTUS anti-voting rights case, was correctly decided.

Pérez responded to the attacks with integrity, a word the likes of Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley will never understand.

"You are referencing work that I did as an advocate," Pérez said. "Advocates and judges play a completely different role. And by accepting this nomination I am pledging to this body, to the American public, before my God, that I would faithfully discharge my duties under the Constitution which require me to put aside any personal policy view points I have."

Senate Republicans, who rubber-stamped basically every federal judge Trump and the Federalist Society sent their way, now find answers about respecting precedent insufficient. Typical.

Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin called out the Republican hypocrisy.

"Trump nominees came before this committee for four straight years… and refused to say whether cases, especially recent cases, were correctly decided. This shouldn't come as a surprise to my colleagues."

Republicans: Suck it.

Dems: Confirm, confirm, confirm!

[ Courthouse News ]

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