Judge Amul Thapar, President Donald Trump’s first nominee to the lower federal courts, was confirmed to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Thursday.
The Senate confirmed Thapar on a 52-44 vote that followed party lines. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell championed his nomination, a fellow Kentuckian who views Thapar as a rising star in the federal judiciary. Thapar was among the final four candidates that President Donald Trump considered, appointing to the Supreme Court.
Democrats opposed his nomination on the basis of his ties to conservative forums and think tanks, including the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. Both organizations have advised the White House on judicial confirmations.
“As in Justice Gorsuch’s case, those radical groups are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure that Judge Thapar sits on the nation’s highest courts,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in a floor speech before the vote. “For those groups, the goal is not just to get a few ultraconservative judges on our federal courts. It is to capture the entire judicial branch.”
Another 10 judicial nominations are currently pending before the Senate. Trump has over 100 vacancies across the federal courts to fill.
Send tips to kevin@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.