Thirteen Senate Democrats voted alongside Republicans Tuesday to instate a conservative judge to the Northern District of Alabama.
The Senate voted 66-32 in favor of confirming Harold “Hal” Mooty III as a U.S. district judge. Donald Trump nominated Mooty last month, and his confirmation needed a simple majority in the Senate.
The Democrats that voted in favor include:
- Senators Chris Coons (Delaware)
- Dick Durbin (Illinois)
- John Fetterman (Pennsylvania)
- Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire)
- Martin Heinrich (New Mexico)
- Tim Kaine (Virginia)
- Mark Kelly (Arizona)
- Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
- Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
- Adam Schiff (California)
- Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire)
- Peter Welch (Vermont)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island)
Maine Senator Angus King, a political independent, also voted to confirm Mooty. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Thom Tillis, a Republican, did not vote.
It’s the first serious order of business that the upper chamber has conducted since the government shutdown 21 days ago.
Mooty will join a growing faction of federal judges who have symbolically pledged their allegiance to Trump. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September, Mooty made his ideological stances known by refusing to provide a direct answer as to who won the 2020 election.
“Our system of government determines who won an election to the Office of President of the United States by who is certified as the winner based on the electoral college vote,” Mooty said at the time, when pressed on the issue. “This process resulted in Joe Biden serving as the 46th President of the United States.”
He similarly skirted answering questions pertaining to the Capitol riots on January 6, repeatedly claiming that it “would not be appropriate” to answer such inquiries as a judicial nominee.” However, his response wavered on the perspective of January 6 in the national recollection.
“I denounce any and all acts of violence against law enforcement and government officials; however, the characterization of the events of January 6 is subject to ongoing political debate,” Mooty said.
Mooty’s queried understanding of the 22nd Amendment—and its power limiting a president to just two terms—was similarly concerning.
“As written, the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution currently limits any president to two terms in office,” Mooty said in September.
Three more roll call votes are scheduled for Tuesday, including motions to invoke cloture on the appointment of Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to be United States district judge for the Middle District of Florida and William W. Mercer to be United States district judge for the District of Montana.
If cloture is invoked, the Senate will proceed to a vote to confirm Gaylord Moe at 5:30 p.m. ET, according to Senate Republican cloakroom staff.
The post 13 Senate Democrats Vote to Advance Trump Nominee During Shutdown appeared first on New Republic.
