The Biden administration rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s call to halt judicial confirmations during the lame-duck session. Trump criticized Democrats on Sunday for advancing nominees ahead of Republicans taking control of the Senate in January.
“No judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their judges as the Republicans fight over leadership,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
White House pushes back on Trump call to halt confirmations in lame duck period https://t.co/7FegvsWUp2
— The Hill (@thehill) November 12, 2024
White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates defended the administration’s actions, emphasizing the importance of a functioning judiciary. “Delaying judicial confirmations creates backlogs of criminal cases and takes a toll on constituents,” Bates said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced 17 judicial nominees for floor votes. Democrats, who currently hold the Senate majority, are aiming to confirm as many as possible before Republicans assume control with at least 52 seats in January.
Bates also highlighted that the Trump administration confirmed 55 judges during its lame-duck session in 2020. “There is no excuse for choosing partisanship over enforcing the rule of law,” he added.
With 213 of Biden’s nominees confirmed so far, Democrats are working to secure additional confirmations before the end of the year. The race to shape the judiciary reflects the high stakes for both parties as control of the Senate shifts in January.
