Trump's conservative judges who will dominate US law for decades

[mysteryowl]

Republicans have confirmed 89 Trump-nominated judges, far in excess of appointments under Obama and Bush.

Many Americans watching the turmoil in US institutions and political norms are yearning for the day when Donald Trump is no longer president. But whether he leaves after 2020 or 2024, Trump has built a legacy in one vital area that can be expected to stand for decades, long after his Twitter feed has fallen silent, analysts across the political spectrum agree.
Judge not: five judicial nominees Trump withdrew – and four pending
Read more

That legacy comprises the 89 judges, and rapidly counting, that Trump has nominated, and Senate Republicans have confirmed, to serve at all levels of the federal court system. They are taking up posts from the district courts (53 Trump nominees confirmed out of 677 total) to the appellate courts (34 out of 179) to the US supreme court (two out of nine). Put together they form a kind of conservative judicial revolution that could impact all aspects of American life.

In the past week, Trump’s judges tally notched up by three, with the confirmation to appeals courts of Chad Readler, who previously ran the legal effort to dismantle Barack Obama’s healthcare law; Eric Murphy, who undermined voting rights, marriage equality and reproductive rights as a state solicitor in Ohio; and Allison Jones Rushing, who has past ties to an anti-LGBT group and who at 37 years old is the country’s youngest federal judge, a lifetime appointment.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/10/trump-legacy-conservative-judges-district-courts

The ultra-right wing (young) judges, dismantling legislation, and destroying the environment will live on long after he leaves. There was good reason I cried on election night and continue to cry or rage about trump being in the WH. This destruction needs to end NOW!

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Proof? Judge Ellis who gave Paul Manafort a slap on the wrist last week

was appointed 30+ years ago by Ronald Reagan.

As an attorney, I remind clients that yes, they CAN appeal -- until their money runs out. Even if you know a federal judge made the wrong decision and it can be overturned by the next appellate court, it doesn't matter if you can't afford to keep appealing. And the way things are looking, one more justice that Trump seats on the USSC indicates money won't matter as the chances of winning an appeal will be nearly impossible.

[superpatriotman]

2. Activist radical judges

Should be our talking point.

Another missed opportunity.

[SharonClark]

3. Agree 100%

[DemocracyMouse]

12. I know someone who had a Christie-appointed Republican judge

It was for a civil court matter. He never read any of the case prior to hitting the gavel and beginning the proceedings. He had no clue what was going on and began to read the details of the case (which were extensive and went back to two other judges) right there in court. He then, without a clue, had the abusive idea of bringing in a minor into court against the protests of the aggrieved parent who had brought the case in the first place, and against proven court history that such testimony alienates the child from one or both parents.

He was just so unbelievably incompetant. Luckily, this former tax lawyer (turned into a family court judge with zero training in child psychology or law) was moved off the case and the new judge declared that parental alienation against the father had occurred by the mother. The new judge, fearful of reprisal, said nothing about the incompetent idiot (and deplorable) Republican that preceeded him.

[lancelyons]

4. All that is is a sign that Dems screwed up. We should not have left any openings after obama left.

If we dont vote these republicans out of office it will continue.

On top of that the maps for Senators heavily favors Republicans.

[defacto7]

7. The Dems didn't screw up anything

The Reps blocked Obama nominations.

[lancelyons]

9. Thats not completely true

Obama did put many judges out there.

Far more than Trump has.

However we should have left NO openings.

Im sure this will change when the Dems take over the Senate and the presidency but man we better get out and vote.

[PeeJ52]

5. It's the enabler McConnell who has done the damage.

He has changed the rules to allow automatic appointment to the court by whoever has majority in the Senate.

[KPN]

15. String him up!

[Vogon_Glory]

6. Some may leave the bench

I read somewhere that some federal judges DO leave the bench before they grow very old: illness, indictment, but also because of greed. We might be shed of some because they’ll decide being corporate lawyers pays better.

This is not to say that the current situation isn’t grim—it is—but there may be more hope than we fear.

[Ligyron]

8. This legacy is the thing that makes me the most angry.

It also makes me sick to my stomach so I tend to not think about it as much as possible because there is really very little I can do about it personally. Sure, vote Dem at every opportunity in the hope that this doesn't get even worse but...

It is sad that I take comfort in the possibility I'll be dead before the worst of this comes to pass but I pity my children and grandchildren's future if this cannot be somehow corrected.

and I don't see how it can.

[Mickju]

14. This is how I feel.

I'm glad I'm 75, but I feel really bad for young people who will have to deal with this, not to mention climate change.

[Ligyron]

20. One thing that gives me some hope is...

there is some history of conservative judges growing a conscious over time. f.i. I think was it the the Warren SCOTUS? The 60's gave us some great rulings if I remember right.

I wonder if that could happen again? hmmm

[Pepsidog]

10. After 2020 Dems need to respond by any means necessary.

[cheri010353]

11. Can't a new president request their resignations and appoint his own judges?

I thought that everyone expected President Obama to do that and we were disappointed that he didn't. If we win both houses it wouldn't be a problem to get them confirmed.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

19. No

Well, they could request it. But the Judge can tell them no. Federal judges are lifetime appointments per the Constitution. You may be thinking of US district attorney's, which the President can(and does many times) request their resignation at the beginning of their term.

[KPN]

13. Look, the GOP plotted strategically to place right-wingers on courts nationwide at every level

through every conceivable means, including stealing elections, gerrymandering and voter suppression. We can repay that favor over time if we choose to play hardball in like, but not unscrupulous manner. We need to redefine what we believe it means to be ethical in governance if and when we do have power.

In my mind, that includes righting past wrongs through whatever morally and legally correct means available to us regardless of how those actions may be perceived by our opponents. That includes impeaching judges who have clear ethical or legal blemishes or are openly and subjectively partisan.

We can also do what FDR did. Threaten and be willing to enlarge the number of SC justices.

We can and should do these things.

[empedocles]

16. Dem mistakes in 2016 made a major contribution/made possible this judge/trump problem

We don't seem to have learned much.

[theophilus]

17. First, Democrats must control the government and rule well and wisely. Then, these judges must be

dealt with in whatever way possible. They must not ruin our rule of law.

[Delmette2.0]

18. If we keep a close watch on all Trump/McConnell judges,

I'm pretty sure they will do something illegal and they can be impeached.

[Ligyron]

21. Gawd, let's hope so....

Otherwise the US is no more.

Land of the free my ass.

[moondust]

22. Welcome to the Christian Caliphate.