Thread by @jbendery

Steven Menashi, Trump's contentious court pick who was set to get his Senate Judiciary Cmte vote this morning, is bumped to next week. So is Halil Ozerden, who may not have the votes to get outta committee.

Senators want to wrap up early to attend Elijah Cummings' ceremony.

Speaking of questionable choices for lifetime federal judges: the Senate is moving fwd today with confirming Justin Walker.

He's 37, has never tried a case in court + earned a rare and embarrassing "not qualified" rating by the American Bar Association. huffpost.com/entry/senate-t…

Walker's nomination is moving fast. That's b/c Mitch McConnell rec'd him to the White House, saying he "is unquestionably the most outstanding nomination that I’ve ever recommended to Presidents to serve on the bench in KY."

The guy was rated "not qualified" to be a judge! 😂

So what is Justin Walker's background if he's not qualified to be a judge?

He's an associate law professor + previously clerked for Brett Kavanaugh, who he went out of his way to defend against Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault allegations.

Walker did more than *seventy* media interviews to push back on Christine Blasey Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh.

“She may believe that assailant was Brett Kavanaugh,” Walker said on Fox News in Sept. 2018. “I believe she’s mistaken.” huffpost.com/entry/senate-t…

Also worth noting Walker is advancing after Republicans have already confirmed at least 4 lifetime federal judges who earned “not qualified” ratings from the ABA.

For context, Obama, in 8 years, didn't nominate *any* people to be judges if they got a "not qualified" rating.

The Senate is voting at noon on a procedural step to move forward with Walker's nomination.

McConnell on the Senate floor a bit ago:

"Later today the Senate will have the opportunity to confirm another brilliant nominee to the federal judiciary.... I'm proud to say this new lifetime judge will be another fine Kentuckyian."

The guy was rated not qualified to serve! 😂

McConnell: "It's clear that President Trump made an outstanding choice to be a district judge for the District of Western KY."

1. McConnell recommended Walker to Trump. Self props!

2. He was rated "not qualified" to be a judge because he's never even tried a case in court.

Here's why the American Bar Association rated Justin Walker, 37, "not qualified" to be a lifetime federal judge.

They review all presidential judicial nominees and rarely hand down a "not qualified" rating. huffpost.com/entry/senate-t…

Chuck Schumer, on the Senate floor, clearing the record a bit on Walker's background:

He is "less than 10 years out of law school, has never tried a case, has never served as co-counsel and it's not clear how much of his 10 years has even been spent practicing law."

Dick Durbin was beside himself during Justin Walker's committee vote.

"Come on. There have got to be more qualified Republican attorneys in America than the ones we’re seeing before this committee."

And... it's done. The Senate confirmed Justin Walker, 51-40, to be a lifetime federal judge. Every Republican present voted to confirm him; every Democrat present voted no.

Here's the tally. senate.gov/legislative/LI…