(DailyChive.com) – As the clock winds down on the Biden administration’s term, Republicans and Democrats are clashing over judicial nominations, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. President-elect Donald Trump has called on Republican senators to stay in Washington to prevent Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) from pushing through more of President Joe Biden’s court picks.
Trump posted on Truth Social after Senate Democrats confirmed a controversial judge on Monday night. The vote was tight, but several Republican senators were notably absent. “The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door,” Trump said. “Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!”
One of the judges confirmed was U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd, who will now serve on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Kidd’s nomination was already raising eyebrows because both of his home-state senators objected, breaking a long-standing tradition of bipartisan approval. To make matters worse, Kidd has been criticized for failing to disclose two decisions where he released child sex offenders before trial—both of which were later overturned. He’s also faced scrutiny for co-authoring a law review article claiming that laws against capital child rape have racist roots.
Despite Republican efforts to slow things down, the Democrats hold the upper hand in the Senate with 51 members. Even if Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) didn’t vote Monday, Schumer could have called him back if needed, and Vice President Kamala Harris stands ready to break any ties.
Republicans are digging in, using procedural tactics to gum up the works. They’ve forced roll call votes on routine motions that usually pass without debate, keeping the Senate working late into the night. On Monday, this strategy kept the chamber busy until 10 p.m., well past the usual schedule.
With little else left on Congress’s to-do list this year, Schumer has focused on getting Biden’s judicial nominees confirmed before the Senate takes its holiday break. More votes are planned in the days ahead, setting the stage for continued battles over the courts.
The fight over the judiciary is just beginning, and the next few weeks could shape the courts for years to come.
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