Staff Reports
President-elect Donald Trump has thrown down the gauntlet, urging Republican senators to stay in Washington to thwart Chuck Schumer’s not-so-secret agenda of cramming President Joe Biden’s judicial confirmations through before the transition of power. In a spirited post on Truth Social, Trump expressed concerns over Senate Democrats’ recent confirmation of yet another activist judge, catching some Republican senators napping on the job.
With the Democrats trying to stack the courts with leftist judges faster than you can say “Biden administration,” Trump emphasized the need for Republican senators to show up and put their foot down. The message was clear: no more judges should be confirmed before Inauguration Day. After all, it’s hard to fight back against the madness when you’re not even in the arena.
President Trump Just Announced that Republican Senators need to show up and Hold the line – No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day! pic.twitter.com/37309efia1
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) November 19, 2024
The latest judicial appointment causing a ruckus is U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd, who was confirmed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals despite his home-state senators objecting. This alone is a presidential faux pas. Kidd’s track record includes dubious decisions to release child sex offenders pre-trial—decisions that were thankfully reversed later. Moreover, Kidd contributed to a law review article that categorized strict child rape laws as racially motivated, indicating his extreme judicial philosophy.
Despite the GOP’s attempts to block the confirmation parade, Democrats seemed poised to move ahead regardless, even without a key vote from Senator John Fetterman. If Schumer really needed votes, he could have roused Fetterman from his likely hibernation, proving that Democrats are ready to seize any opportunity. Meanwhile, with the Senate’s current composition giving the Democrats a 51-49 advantage, they can push through their agenda with Kamala Harris waiting in the wings to break any ties.
In a scene reminiscent of a 10th-grade student council meeting, Republicans have taken to forcing roll call votes on what usually would be routine matters, dragging the Senate back into long nights of legislative business well past bedtime for most senators. This tactic is designed not only to annoy but to slow down Schumer’s efforts to churn through judicial nominations before the year ends.
With Congress mostly done with heavy lifting for the year, it appears that the Senate is gearing up for a flurry of judicial confirmations. Schumer has prepared to keep the Senate on its toes with more nominee votes lined up before lawmakers take off for the weekend, further emphasizing the urgency with which the Democrats approach their mission to reshape the judiciary. The stage is set for a showdown, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
