After a couple of days spent on a minibus appropriations bill, the Senate returns to nominations

Politics
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5 Executive Branch nominations, 12 Article III Judicial nominations will be processed over the next several days. All 12 of the judicial nominations are for District Courts. In Pennsylvania, particularly for those folks in Erie and Pittsburgh, the 2 upcoming confirmations to the Western District of Pennsylvania are welcome news and most particularly for those in Erie who will greatly benefit from Baxter’s elevation from Magistrate Judge to District Judge.

5:18 p.m. Senator McConnell filed cloture on folowing 17 nominations:

  • Cal # 994 Lynn Johnson, CO, Asst Secy, HHS
  • Cal #910 Richard Clarita, CT, Vice Chair, Federal Reserve Board
  • Cal #911 Richard Clarita, CT, Member, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve Board
  • Cal #783 Joseph Hunt, MD, Asst Atty General
  • Cal #720 Isabel Marie Keenan Patelunas, PA, Asst Secy, Intel and Analysis, Treasury
  • Cal #633 Terry Morer, AL, US District Judge, Souther District of AL
  • Cal #635 R. Stan Baker, GA, US District Judge, Southern District of GA
  • Cal #636 Charles Barnes Goodwin, OK, US District Judge, Western District of OK
  • Cal #674 Barry Ashe, LA, US District Judge, Eastern District of LA
  • Cal #676 James Sweeney, IN, US District Judge, Southern District of IN
  • Cal #692 Susan P. Baxter, PA, US District Judge. Western District of PA
  • Cal #693 Marilyn Horan, PA, US District Judge, Western District of PA
  • Cal #914 Allen Winsor, FL, US District Judge, Middle District of FL
  • Cal #779 Dominic Lanza, AZ, US District Judge
  • Cal #782 Charles Williams, IA, US District Judge
  • Cal #838 Robert Summerhays, LA, US District Judge, Western District, LA
  • Cal #893 Alan Albright, TX, US District Judge, Western District, TX
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A sudden burst of progress in the Senate, as a number of judicial nominations were abruptly cleared and confirmed today. Glad to see Susan Paradise Baxter confirmed to the Erie Courthouse. That will make life vastly easier for the people of northeast Pennsylvania.

It took three totally unnecessary ******* years to happen, but it finally happened. She was originally nominated by Barack Obama on July 30, 2015, with the full support of Senator Toomey and no opposition whatsoever. 3 years & 1 month later, she is finally confirmed. Just think of the Article III caseload she could have dispatched during that period.

Anyhow, with today’s confirmations, Trump has now successfully made 60 Article III Judicial appointments, 1 to the Supreme Court, 26 to the Courts of Appeal and 33 to the District Courts.

At 3:45 PM, the Senate will proceed to a series of roll call votes on the following nominations:

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #910, Richard Clarida, of Connecticut, to be Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for a term of four years.
  2. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #911, Richard Clarida, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the unexpired term of fourteen years from February 1, 2008.
  3. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #783, Joseph H. Hunt, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Attorney General.
  4. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #720, Isabel Marie Keenan Patelunas, of Pennsylvania, to be Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury.
  5. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #633, Terry Fitzgerald Moorer, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama.
  6. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #635, R. Stan Baker, of Georgia, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.
  7. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #636, Charles Barnes Goodwin, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.
  8. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #674, Barry W. Ashe, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
  9. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #676, James R. Sweeney II, of Indiana, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana.
  10. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #692, Susan Paradise Baxter, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
  11. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #837, Nancy E. Brasel, of Minnesota, to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota.

Executive Calendar #910, Richard Clarida, of Connecticut, to be Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for a term of four years. The nomination was confirmed by a vote of 69-26.

Executive Calendar #911, Richard Clarida, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the unexpired term of fourteen years from February 1, 2008. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

Executive Calendar #783, Joseph H. Hunt, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Attorney General. The nomination was confirmed by a vote of 72-23.

Executive Calendar #720, Isabel Marie Keenan Patelunas, of Pennsylvania, to be Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of the Treasury. The nomination was confirmed by a vote of 75-20.

Executive Calendar #633, Terry Fitzgerald Moorer, of Alabama, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

Executive Calendar #635, R. Stan Baker, of Georgia, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

Executive Calendar #636, Charles Barnes Goodwin, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma. The nomination was confirmed by a vote of 52-42.

Executive Calendar #674, Barry W. Ashe, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

Executive Calendar #676, James R. Sweeney II, of Indiana, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

Executive Calendar #692, Susan Paradise Baxter, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

Executive Calendar #837, Nancy E. Brasel, of Minnesota, to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota. The nomination was confirmed by voice vote.

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I missed these earlier, but additional Article III Judicial nominations have been cleared for a final confirmation vote following Labor Day. 8 District Judge nominees will be confirmed that week.

That will bring Trump’s Article III overall total to 68 and his District Judge total to 41.

UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENTS
Elad L. Roisman (Cal. No. 1061)
Ordered, That following Leader remarks on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, the Senate proceed to executive
session and resume consideration of the nomination of Elad L. Roisman, of Maine, to be a Member of the Securities
and Exchange Commission for a term expiring June 5, 2023.
Ordered further, That at 5:30 p.m. the motion to invoke cloture on the Roisman nomination ripen.
Ordered further, That with respect to the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination, the mandatory
quorum required under Rule XXII be waived. (Aug. 28, 2018.)
Marilyn Jean Horan (Cal. No. 693)
William F. Jung (Cal. No. 731)
Kari A. Dooley (Cal. No. 778)
Dominic W. Lanza (Cal. No. 779)
Charles J. Williams (Cal. No. 782)
Robert R. Summerhays (Cal. No. 838)
Eric C. Tostrud (Cal. No. 839)
Alan D. Albright (Cal. No. 893)
Ordered, That at a time to be determined during the week of September 4, 2018 by the Majority Leader
in consultation with the Democratic Leader, the Senate vote on the following nominations in the order listed:
Marilyn Jean Horan, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of
Pennsylvania;
William F. Jung, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida;
Kari A. Dooley, of Connecticut, to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut;
Dominic W. Lanza, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona;
Charles J. Williams, of Iowa, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Iowa;
Robert R. Summerhays, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of
Louisiana;
Eric C. Tostrud, of Minnesota, to be United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota; and
Alan D. Albright, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas.
Ordered Further, That if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the
table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate’s actions. (Aug. 28, 2018.)