Sidestepping the focus of the above article.
A new United States Courthouse was opened in Newport News 12 years ago. In that time, it has never had a United States District Judge permanently in residence and has never even had a permanent United States Magistrate Judges in residence. It does get visiting Judges from time to time. Most of the courts business is conducted in Norfolk.
This United States Courthouse runs the United States $165,000 a MONTH to lease. For a courthouse that very often is vacant other than for administrative business.
Trump and Virginia’s United States Senators can help here. There is currently a vacancy in the Eastern District of Virginia, with the previous incumbent stationed at Norfolk.
The new nominee should be from Newport News (or the immediate surrounding area of the James River Peninsula), and should commit to maintaining chambers and conducting business primarily at the Newport News Courthouse. And in hiring new Magistrate Judges, the court should hiring one who will commit to establishing his chambers in Newport News.
If the United States is going to pay $1,980,000 a year for a courthouse, we should at least use it for substantial court business.
Here is a substantial inefficiency that needs to be dealt with. Either station a Judge permanently at that courthouse or consider closing it.