It appears that not only was there some sort of unconfirmed backroom deal percolating between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and President Joe Biden to appoint an anti-abortion Federalist Society member as a federal judge –- the President was reportedly planning to do it at the worst possible time.
The Louisville Courier-Journal, which was the first outlet to report on the apparent deal, obtained an email that White House aide Kathleen M. Marshall sent to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on June 23 informing him that Biden was going to nominate the conservative anti-choice lawyer, Chad Meredith, for a judgeship in the state the next day on June 24.
“To be nominated tomorrow:… Stephen Chad Meredith: candidate for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky,” Marshall wrote, per the Courier-Journal.
But the conservative majority on the Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade the next day, apparently scuttling Biden’s plan. However, the high court’s devastating ruling has not been confirmed as the reason the President put Meredith’s nomination on hold.
It’s unclear whether Biden will move forward with the nomination in the face of outrage from fellow Democrats and abortion rights advocates. The White House has not commented on the matter, saying only that, “we do not comment on vacancies.”
The particulars of Biden’s deal with McConnell are unknown, but Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) has said that he believes that the Senate GOP likely agreed not to stonewall Biden’s future nominations in exchange for Meredith’s appointment.
Eye on the Ball:
The Senate
The House
I wouldn’t trust McConnell if he were dead and buried. That sumbitch is just plain evil.
The Eastern District of Kentucky does not currently have a vacancy.
At least if this is true it means someone at the White House got their head out of their ass and realized this was a bad idea. I don’t see this nomination happening now. The big question is whether or not Manchin and Sinema will allow Biden to increase the pace on the remaining nominees so that we fill up the judiciary before the the midterms, just in case we lose the Senate. I’m watching Biden closely on this, it will show whether he has skills and the backbone needed for my support in the 2024 primary.
Biden at the National Prayer Breakfast in February:
“Mitch, I don’t want to hurt your reputation, but we really are friends,” Biden said, addressing McConnell. “And that is not an epiphany we’re having at the moment. You’re a man of your word, you’re a man of honor. Thank you for being my friend.”