President Trump Nears Another Judicial Confirmation Milestone

President Donald Trump is closing in on another milestone in his drive to remake the federal judiciary with conservatives.

Appellate selections William Nardini and Danielle Hunsaker were taking another step toward their likely confirmation as early as Nov. 7 with the Senate voting to end debate on their nominations.

Nardini has been nominated to the New York-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, while Hunsaker is slated to fill a seat on the California-based Ninth Circuit.

If confirmed, President Trump will have appointed a quarter of the 179 federal appeals court seats.

President Trump and the Republican-led Senate have aggressively sought to reshape the federal judiciary with conservatives. So far, President Trump has appointed more than 150 judges to district and circuit courts. He also appointed Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

Nardini, who is a federal prosecutor in Connecticut, clerked for retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and two Second Circuit judges. Hunsaker would add to President Trump’s seven appointees already sitting on the Ninth Circuit, if confirmed. She’s currently an Oregon state judge and clerked for Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain on the Ninth Circuit.

With the pair moving forward, two other appeals nominees are struggling to clear the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Halil Sulyman Ozerden, a selection considered not conservative enough for Republicans, and Steven Menashi, a White House lawyer who’s faced fierce opposition from Democrats, are again scheduled for committee votes Nov. 7. It’s unclear if they’ll be approved.