Absences Of GOP Senators Allow Democrats To Confirm More Of Joe Biden’s Judicial Nominations (Names Named)

Senate Democrats confirmed two more of Joe Biden’s judicial nominations after multiple Republican senators failed to show up for the vote.

With Kamala Harris in Hawaii, Senate Republicans had a golden opportunity to block lifelong appointments of federal judges before Trump returns to office.

“The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door. Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!” President Trump said Tuesday.

Two of Biden’s nominees were confirmed in part due to the absences of Sens. Mike Braun (R-IN) and Ted Cruz (R-TX).

With the absence of Harris, a 50-50 tie would have blocked the nominations.

50-48, Senate agreed to bring debate to a close on the nomination of Amir H. Ali to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia. Rollcall Vote #290 https://t.co/7iScGvjuI5

— U.S. Senate Updates (@SenateFloor) November 20, 2024

CONFIRMED: Rebecca Pennell to the Eastern District of Washington

Judge Pennell’s career spans nearly two decades, and she’s served as a litigator and now a state appellate court judge.

Her courtroom experience and deep ties to the state ensure she’s ready to serve on day one. pic.twitter.com/dmxJyvJ1M5

— Senate Judiciary Committee (@JudiciaryDems) November 20, 2024

From the Washington Examiner:

On Wednesday, Biden nominee Amir Ali was confirmed to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia in a 50-49 vote, and Rebecca Pennell was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, 50-48. Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) voted against Pennell and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) joined Republicans against Ali.

Senate Democrats are set to continue confirming judges. They have now confirmed 219 of Biden’s federal judicial nominees, putting the party just 15 away from matching Trump’s total of 234 judges appointed during his first term in office.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) told the Washington Examiner that “we were disappointed, and we’re working hard to get everybody back.”

“Some of these [positions] are critical, and it would be great if we could have the next president make those appointments instead,” Rounds said, adding that, despite efforts to bring senators back to the halls of Congress, “there are some challenges for getting them in.”

BREAKING: Chuck Schumer just confirmed another lifelong federal judge with a vote of 50-48. Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Braun didn’t show up to block the confirmation by making it 50-50.

Kamala is currently in Hawaii, so she couldn’t have cast the tie-breaking vote.… pic.twitter.com/oGxLKW7sk9

— George (@BehizyTweets) November 20, 2024

Senate Republicans faced immense criticism for failing to vote and blocking the nominations.

“Amir Ali is a radical who currently runs a left-wing dark money group that supports defunding the police and ‘transforming’ the criminal justice system. If every Republican was present and voted they could literally stop this confirmation because Kamala is in Hawaii,” Matt Whitlock, a former congressional staffer to Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), commented.

“This is devastating. Because we are missing one Republican Senator, the DC District Court is getting a defund the police advocate for a lifetime appointment,” he added.

This is devastating.

Because we are missing one Republican Senator, the DC District Court is getting a defund the police advocate for a lifetime appointment. https://t.co/YehCnXWeWX

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) November 20, 2024

Per Roll Call:

On Wednesday morning, if all Republican senators had voted on two judicial nominations, it might have required Vice President Kamala Harris to vote to break a tie.

The Senate voted 50-48 to confirm Rebecca L. Pennell to be a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington and 50-48 to invoke cloture on the nomination of Amir H. Ali to be a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The two absences were Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Braun, R-Ind., who will leave the Senate in January to become governor of Indiana.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he was “very angry” over the attendance issues.

“Ninety percent of success in life is showing up. We could have stopped those 18 votes after that first vote if we had shown up that day,” Tillis said. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to make d*** sure we’re all there at the strike of the gavel. It’s that simple.”

Earlier this week, Senate Republicans faced criticism for allowing the appointment of a “leftist” federal magistrate judge.

“By a vote of 49-45, the #Senate confirmed the nomination of Embry J. Kidd to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit. Senator Manchin voted no. Braun, Daines, Fetterman, Hagerty, Rubio, and Vance did not vote,” Senate Press Gallery wrote.

“This nominee has written that laws against child rape are racist. He hid 2 previous decisions where he gave lenient sentences to child predators from the Senate. Now he has a lifetime judgeship– instead of a Trump nominee – because Republicans didn’t bother to show up,” Whitlock commented.

This nominee has written that laws against child rape are racist. He hid 2 previous decisions where he gave lenient sentences to child predators from the Senate.

Now he has a lifetime judgeship– instead of a Trump nominee – because Republicans didn’t bother to show up. https://t.co/5o1NGSzq56

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) November 19, 2024

“This leftist judge would have been voted down and the seat on the important 11th circuit would have been filled by Donald Trump next year had Republicans showed up,” DeSantis said.

“Now, the leftist judge will have a lifetime appointment and the people of FL, AL and GA will suffer the consequences,” he added.

This leftist judge would have been voted down and the seat on the important 11th circuit would have been filled by Donald Trump next year had Republicans showed up.

Now, the leftist judge will have a lifetime appointment and the people of FL, AL and GA will suffer the… https://t.co/7h8uyfvLUq

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 19, 2024

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.