The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced the nomination of Thomas L. Kirsch II for the seat on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated when Amy Coney Barrett became the newest justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Fox News reported that Kirsch's full Senate confirmation is likely to take place before the upper chamber dismisses for the holidays.
The committee vote was strictly party-line, with Democrats complaining that President Donald Trump's latest nominee should not be confirmed with the president being a "lame duck."
"Over the past four years, the Republican side has moved at breakneck speed to consider and confirm President Trump's judicial nominees. Even when there are questions of qualifications, they have kept the nominations assembly line rolling," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said. "Now with President Trump a lame duck — even though many of my colleagues on the other side refuse to acknowledge it — the new administration starting next month, my Republican colleagues are still moving forward with Trump nominees."
Durbin called Kirsch a "qualified person," saying, "I know the man. … But it is such an extraordinary process that is being followed that many of us are constrained to vote against his nomination."
Ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaking of other judges also nominated for lower courts, said: "given the circumstances under which these nominees are being brought up, I intend to vote no on all of them."
Mike Davis, president of the Article III Project, praised the nomination, saying, "Senate Republicans are still hard at work and continuing to help President Trump with his near-record transformation of the federal judiciary. … Kirsch is an outstanding pick and will become President Trump’s 54th pick to the critically important federal courts of appeals, the last stop for more than 99% of federal appeals."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.