Scoop: Schumer plots judges blitz in White House call [View all]

Source: Axios

11 hours ago


Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and senior White House officials are strategizing how to beat former President Trump's record on confirming federal judges.

Why it matters: For Schumer and President Biden, the judiciary is personal. But Democrats have two challenges in surpassing Trump's 234 mark: a clock that's ticking and a Senate that's functionally 50-50 on judicial nominations.

Biden's top aides, as well as Schumer, know there's no guarantee that they'll control the White House or the Senate in 2025.

That's adding urgency on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Driving the news: On Friday, Schumer spoke with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and other officials on how to accelerate the pace of judicial confirmations.

Judicial nominations are one of Schumer's priorities for the next three weeks, along with avoiding a government shutdown.

What they're saying: "Exceeding the previous administration's four-year totals is certainly within reach, despite significant structural impediments, including the longest 50-50 Senate in history and a fraction of the vacancies inherited by the previous administration," Phil Brest, the White House senior counsel in charge of nominations, told Axios.

"Throughout the coming weeks, we will continue confirming the Biden-Harris administration's well-qualified judges and nominees," Schumer said in a letter to senators over the weekend.

A spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told Axios that Durbin will "continue holding nominations hearings and markups through the end of the Congress."

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/09/10/schumer-judges-confirmation-biden-trump