Just front-load them.”ĭeciding which nominees should wait could be difficult. … They need to see it as a top priority and move it ahead of the other nominees,” said Caroline Fredrickson, who spent a decade as president of a group for liberal lawyers and judges, the American Constitution Society. “The judicial nominees cannot be after the deputy assistant secretary of whatever department. Democrats have been deeply frustrated by Republicans’ ability to stock the federal bench with conservative jurists while blocking liberals from consideration, cementing the right’s hold over the judicial branch for a generation or more. The main fight over the package was resolved Monday, but language still needs to be finalized, leaving committees still in a state of uncertainty.īut even with the committee in place, questions remain about whether its members should work through Biden’s entire eventual slate of DOJ nominees, or confirm only the top ranks of officials before shifting focus to filling empty seats in circuit and district courts. 6, after most other Cabinet picks.īiden appeared to have waited to announce his attorney general nomination and other choices for top DOJ slots until the results of the runoff elections in Georgia indicated that Democrats would win control of the Senate.Īdding to the scheduling complications: The membership and leadership of the Judiciary Committee have been in limbo due to a standoff between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over a key Senate rules package.

Biden did not announce his selection of the veteran jurist and failed Obama Supreme Court nominee until Jan. “We need an attorney general in this country and sooner the better.”Ī White House spokesperson declined to comment on the delay in submitting Garland’s formal nomination paperwork, but a Judiciary Committee spokesperson confirmed Thursday morning that the panel now has Garland’s questionnaire and other materials in hand.

“As soon as we have the paperwork and a decent … interval has occurred, we want to bring him before the committee,” Durbin said. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), said he is planning to negotiate with Republicans to see if the customary 28-day wait between official nomination and hearing can be waived for Garland. The incoming chair of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Garland is expected to soon get a hearing, though just how quickly is unclear. But, he added, “I think, once we have the leadership at Main Justice, we should potentially turn to judges because some of those vacancies are outstanding.”Īt the center of Biden’s efforts to put his mark on the DOJ is his pick for attorney general, D.C.

Department of speculation