Trump rushes to fill judicial seats before Democrats take over

Key Points:

• T. Elliot Gaiser, a 37-year-old former clerk for Justice Samuel Alito and head of the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel, is among several nominees rapidly pushed by the White House and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley for federal judgeships before Republicans lose Senate control in January.
• The Senate confirmed its first post-election judge, Gregory Cook, and plans votes on multiple judicial nominees, including Gaiser, who was only contacted about his nomination after the midterm elections and has no prior residency ties to the Texas district where he is nominated.
• Concerns have been raised about the rushed vetting process for nominees like Gaiser and Texas Supreme Court Judge James Sullivan, who bypassed the usual judicial evaluation committee and submitted questionnaires shortly before hearings, breaching committee norms.
• Daniel Ballou, nominated for a Kentucky district court seat, faces formal judicial conduct charges related to alleged improper disciplinary actions and previous political endorsements, raising questions about his fitness for the bench.
• Despite internal Republican disagreements and some senators opposing certain nominees, Trump allies are accelerating confirmations in a lame-duck session to secure as many lifetime judicial appointments as possible before the Democratic majority takes over.