Joe Biden recently confirmed the lifetime positions of 235 judges, surpassing the number of confirmations made by the Donald Trump administration (226), during his first term as the President of the United States. This move comes weeks before Trump takes office and has been lauded by many, including Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer. This will have positive effects for generations, remarked Schumer.
Read on to know the breakdown of this landmark confirmation and what Joe Biden had to say about it.
𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝
President Joe Biden surpassed President Trump’s record for lifetime appointments to the federal bench, setting a new standard for diversity on the judiciary. The U.S. Senate confirmed all of Biden’s final judicial nominees, bringing… pic.twitter.com/F3yAJM9npD— BreakingRecap (@BreakingRecap) December 26, 2024
Breakdown of Confirmations:
- 187 District Court Judges.
- 45 Circuit Court Judges
- 1 Supreme Court Judge
- 2 Court of Internation Trade Judges
President Biden expressed pride in his judicial appointments, saying, “When I ran for president, I promised to create a bench that represents America.” He emphasized that diversity among judges strengthens public confidence in the fairness of court decisions.
The Joe Biden administration prioritized nominating diverse candidates. According to political correspondent Ray Bogan, More women, people of color, and public defenders were appointed than in the previous administration. Reports also reveal that that the Democrats-appointed nominees were rated as qualified or well-qualified by the American Bar Association.
On the other hand, Republicans called out some of Biden’s nominees for being unqualified. This comes after the Judiciary Committee Chairman, Dick Durbin, blocked Republicans from speaking out against certain nominees before votes in November 2023. GOP senators warned Democrats that this tactic could backfire when Republicans regain control.
Irrespective, President Joe Biden’s judicial appointments have set a new benchmark for diversity and effectiveness. However, as power shifts, Republicans aim to continue reshaping the judiciary to align with their priorities.
With the Republicans gearing up to retake the Senate and White House in January, one could expect the GOP to plan to maintain the fast pace of confirmations that began in 2016. Should a bipartisan bill be passed, Trump could get to fill 22 additional judgeships to address population growth and increasing caseloads.
There’s a true selflessness in giving up a seat at your Christmas table to defend your country.
This Christmas, Jill and I spoke with service members serving around the world to share just how grateful we are for their courage and sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/1pAi1HYdCB
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 25, 2024
In other news, Joe Biden wished the people of America on Christmas Eve, sharing a happy photo with his wife and First Lady, Jill Biden. Sharing the still, he saluted the Armed Forces who were away from their families to serve the nation. He tweeted, “There’s a true selflessness in giving up a seat at your Christmas table to defend your country.” He further wrote, “This Christmas, Jill and I spoke with service members serving around the world to share just how grateful we are for their courage and sacrifice.”
On the contrary, Donald Trump slammed Biden’s decision to change the death sentences of 37 people to life in prison without parole in his Christmas tweet, calling the decision senseless as it was an insult to the victims’ families.
