While Few Pay Attention, Senate Approves Raft Of Trump Judges

As voters focus on the latest Democratic debates and multi-candidate primary, President Donald Trump continues to reshape the federal courts.

Over the past two days, the Republican-controlled Senate has confirmed 12 judges to the United States District Court, the lowest part of the federal court system. Several more nominees remain on the docket.

On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed four judges to federal courts. And on Wednesday, lawmakers confirmed eight more.

At this point in his administration, Trump has confirmed 144 of the 194 judges he nominated.

Michael Liburdi

Vote count: 53-37, 10 not voting

Nay — 36 Democrats, one Independent; Yea — 51 Republicans, two Democrats

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona

Nomination: Trump

Background: Liburdi hasn’t had any judicial positions. He clerked for Justice Ruth McGregor for the Arizona Supreme Court from 2002 to 2003. Until last year, he was a general counsel in Gov. Douglas Ducey’s office. From 2010 to 2014, he was a chairman of the Arizona Right to Life PAC.

Peter Welte

Vote count: 68-22, 10 not voting

Nay — 22 Democrats; Yea — 51 Republicans, 16 Democrats, one Independent

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the District of North Dakota

Nomination: Trump

Background: Welte hasn’t held judicial office, but he was elected to be a state’s attorney of Grand Forks County from 1999 to 2015. Welte is a current member of the NRA.

Sean Jordan

Vote count: 54-34, 12 not voting

Nay — 33 Democrats, one Independent; Yea — 51 Republicans, three Democrats

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas

Nomination: Trump

Background: From 2004 to 2012, Jordan served in the office of the Attorney General of Texas. Since 2012, he’s worked as an appellate judge for two different law firms. He’s been a member of the Federalist Society, a conservative judicial advocacy group, since 2016.

James Hendrix

Vote count: 89-1, 10 not voting

Nay — One Democrat; Yea — 51 Republicans, 37 Democrats, one Independent

Seat: U.S. District Judge for Northern District of Texas

Nomination: Former President Barack Obama in 2016, Trump in 2019

Background: Hendrix has never served as a judge, but he’s been the U.S. Attorney for the same district of Texas since 2007.

Martha Pacold

Vote count: 87-3, 10 not voting

Nay — Three Democrats; Yea — 51 Republicans, 35 Democrats, one Independent

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois

Nomination: Trump

Background: She hasn’t held judicial office, but her nomination was supported by Illinois’ Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. In 2005, she served as a counsel to the Attorney General, and she served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for eight months in 2007 and 2008. Since March 2017, Pacold has served in the Department of the Treasury. She was a member of the Federalist Society from 2000 to 2008.

William Stickman IV

Vote count: 56-34, 10 not voting

Nay — 33 Democrats, one Independent; Yea — 51 Republicans, five Democrats

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Nomination: Trump

Background: Stickman has no judicial service, but he served as a clerk to Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He has practiced in trial and appellate courts, has tried cases at the state and federal levels.

Jason Pulliam

Vote count: 54-36, 10 not voting

Nay — 35 Democrats, one Independent; Yea — 51 Republicans, three Democrats

Seat: U.S. District  Judge for the Western District of Texas

Nomination: Trump

Background: Pulliam was recommended to the president by Republican Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. He began his legal career as a U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate and practiced law at two different firms before being elected to the County Court in 2010. Other positions include: Texas Fourth Court of Appeals, January 8, 2015 to December 31, 2016. Bexar County, County Court at Law Judge, January 3, 2011 to January 7, 2015.

Brantley Starr

Vote count: 51-39, 10 not voting

Nay — 38 Democrats, one Independent; Yea — 51 Republicans

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas

Nomination: Trump

Background: Starr hasn’t held judicial office, but he also was recommended by Cruz and Cornyn. He served in various roles in the Texas Attorney General’s office from 2004 to 2008, before returning in 2011. He has been a  member of the Federalist Society since 2005.

Jeffrey V. Brown

Vote count: 50-40, 10 not voting

Nay — 38 Democrats, one Independent, one Republican; Yea — 50 Republicans

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas

Nomination: Trump

Background: Has served on the Supreme Court of Texas since 2013. Served on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Texas from 2007 to 2013. He served on the 55th District Court from 2001 to 2007.

Mark Pittman

Vote count: 54-36, 10 not voting

Nay — 35 Democrats, one Independent; Yea — 51 Republicans, three Democrats

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas

Nomination: Trump

Background: Pittman has served as an Associate Justice on the Second Texas Court of Appeals since January 2017. He was a district judge for the 352nd District Court in Tarrant County from January 2015 to January 2017. He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Texas from 2007 to 2009. He also served at federal agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Mary Rowland

Vote count: Confirmed by voice vote

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois

Nomination: Trump

Background: She has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge since October 2012 and was supported by Durbin and Duckworth.

John Younge

Vote count: Confirmed by voice vote

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Nomination: Obama in 2015, Trump in 2018

Background: Younge has served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County since January 1996. He served the entirety of his career in the Trial Division, handling civil and criminal cases.

Karin Immergut

Vote count: Confirmed by voice vote

Seat: U.S. District Judge for the District of Oregon

Nomination: Trump

Background: Immergut served as a Circuit Court Judge for Oregon since July 2009. She also served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for California [from 1988 to 1994] and Oregon [from 2001 to 2003].

 

By Nikoel Hytrek
Posted 8/1/19