We are coming into the endgame for President Trump's judicial nominees.
asserted
We → come → nominees
Since the election, it seems the President has made (at least) two nominations to the federal bench in Texas: Justice James Sullivan of the Texas Supreme Court for the WDTX seat in Austin and OLC Head Elliot Gaiser for the NDTX seat in Dallas.
asserted
President → seem → Dallas
I say "seems" because the President has not posted these nominations to Truth Social, as that makes it official.
asserted
it → say → Social
But the Senate Judiciary Committee has received questionnaires for both candidates.
asserted
Committee → receive → candidates
I have known both of these sharp legal minds for some time, and would welcome their addition to the bench.
asserted
I → know → bench
Will Sullivan and Gaiser get votes?
asserted
Sullivan → get → votes
I sure hope so.
asserted
I → hope → ?
Over the next six weeks, Republican Senators will need to be motived to vote, while Democrat Senators will pull out every stop to leave these seats open.
asserted
Senators → need → seats
Plus, there is an entire line of other nominees who are still waiting for votes.
asserted
who → be → votes
Judge Anna St. John's nomination to the Fifth Circuit and Judge Daniel Domenico's nomination to the Tenth Circuit are pending.
asserted
nomination → pende → Circuit
They had their hearings some time ago, and should get through.
asserted
They → have → hearings
Todd Butler has not even had his hearing yet, so he is down the pecking order.
asserted
he → have → order
Then there is Judge Lee Rudofksy, a nominee to the Eighth Circuit, who had his hearing back in September.
asserted
who → be → September
Yet, both of the Arkansas Senators are blocking Rudofsky's nomination.
asserted
both → block → nomination
They prefer Justice Cody Hiland, a member of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
asserted
They → prefer → Court
He has demonstrated absolutely terrible judgment which should permanently disqualify him from holding any public office.
asserted
which → demonstrate → office
In August, he decided to disclose to a room full of law students private communications between him and the White House Counsel.
asserted
he → decide → him
Worse, rather than teaching students about the value of grace, he promoting belligerence and vindictiveness.
asserted
he → teach → belligerence
In short, the White House approached Hiland about a nomination to the Eighth Circuit.
asserted
House → approach → Circuit
After the vetting process, the White House changed course, and offered Hiland a seat on the federal district court.
asserted
House → change → court
Hiland refused, and told the White House Counsel to tell President Trump about it.
asserted
Hiland → refuse → it
He said all of this on a livestream.
asserted
He → say → livestream
You can watch it here, starting around the 16:45 mark:
asserted
You → watch → mark
And I've transcribed the comments for those who prefer to read:
asserted
who → transcribe → those
The second thing I want to talk about is you're going to have to learn to be resilient, and maybe this far in your career, maybe it's been easy for you.
asserted
it → want → you
I don't know, but you're going to have to learn how to be knocked down and then get back up, and then also not to be intimidated.
asserted
you → know → ?
Resiliency is something that is going to carry with you the rest of your career.
asserted
that → go → career
Now, I'm going to tell you a story that just happened to me because resilience matters even at this point in a career.
asserted
resilience → go → career
So, you you want to hear a backstory on something?
asserted
you → want → something
Nobody ever gets to hear backstories.
asserted
Nobody → get → backstories
I'm going to give you a backstory.
asserted
I → go → backstory
So, about two months ago, I was contacted about being appointed by the president to the Eighth Circuit.
asserted
I → contact → Circuit
Okay, I had senators who asked me to do it.
asserted
who → have → it
And the call said, "You know what?
asserted
You → say → what
We're going to recommend that the president appoints you to the Eighth Circuit, and so they started a background check.
asserted
they → go → check
The FBI goes out, and if you've ever served in these capacities, you know that there's a full field investigation that takes place.
asserted
that → go → place
And select 12 or 13 agents just investigate you for about six weeks.
asserted
agents → investigate → weeks
And in this case, they ask them to finish it in two weeks because they wanted to get it done, and so the FBI went out and they talked to over 130 people about me and my life.
asserted
they → ask → me
And when Dean Crawford is talking about social media, you know that sort of thing matters, okay?
asserted
sort → talk → thing
Because they go back to the time that you're 18 and they talk to everybody you've ever leased from.
asserted
you → go → everybody
…and 47 more, not listed.
The Aporia
