Some Democrats on the Judiciary Committee are still indicating—with their committee votes—that they believe it’s acceptable for their caucus to support certain nominees. Even when the nominees won’t say if they agree with Trump that federal judges are “monsters” for ruling against the administration. Even when the nominees dodge questions about whether they agree with an influential conservative activist that Democrats are “relentless” and “evil.” And even when the nominees avoid directly answering the question of whether Trump, who is limited by the Twenty-Second Amendment to serving two terms as president, can run for a third White House term in 2028.

[…]

[Dick Durbin] voted to confirm two of Trump’s nominees, David Clay Fowlkes and Aaron Peterson, to serve as life-tenured federal judges. And he’s not the only one: During Trump’s second term, 19 Democrats have voted to confirm at least one of Trump’s nominees. New Hampshire Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen have voted to confirm six and seven nominees, respectively, and Rhode Island senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, has voted for five. Among Senate Democrats, Durbin and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine are tied for the lead in this ignominious category with eight yes votes apiece.

In July, Maine Independent Senator Angus King, who is also near the top of that list, became the first member of the Democratic caucus to support a Trump nominee when he voted for Josh Divine, a Missouri district court nominee who had both incredibly limited legal experience and also a lengthy and alarming record on reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ equality.

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