Biden speeds ahead on installing judges
By Harper Neidig - 08/08/21 07:00 AM EDT
President Biden and Senate Democrats are off to a fast start in pushing through judicial nominees, outpacing former President Trump's early record in confirming judges to the federal bench.
While many Democrats had been hoping that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer would announce his retirement to allow the new White House to pick his replacement, Biden has already pushed ahead with making an early mark on the federal courts.
Nine of Biden's 33 nominees have already been confirmed, seven of whom were sworn in in the month of July alone, and another 14 are awaiting floor votes in the Senate.
Those numbers put Biden ahead of any president in the past 40 years at this point in their first year, said Russell Wheeler, a fellow with the Brookings Institution who studies judicial confirmations.
Trump had gotten off to a slower start, having five of his judges confirmed at this point in 2017, including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch just three months into his tenure. However, Trump went on to fill the judiciary with conservative appointees at a record pace.
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https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/566789-biden-speeds-ahead-on-installing-judges
