McConnell's Legacy Hinges On Reshaping The Courts Under Trump

[DonViejo]

By Lisa Mascaro | July 8, 2018 7:43 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was upbeat the night after Justice Anthony Kennedy announced he was retiring from the Supreme Court.

The Kentucky Republican had already led the Senate in confirming more circuit court judges in the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency than in that of any other president in history. Now McConnell had the chance to confirm a second Supreme Court justice, a thrilling prospect for his party.

More than any other accomplishment, including the passage of the GOP’s tax cuts, the remaking of the judiciary is fast becoming the cornerstone of the Republican leader’s legacy. It’s something he’s been working on for a long time.

“Well, I think it’s a little too early to be talking about legacy,” McConnell said with a smile as he left the Senate chamber.

“A year and a half ago, I said it was a top priority,” he said about confirming judges, “and it remains so.”

With McConnell leading the way in the Republican-controlled Senate, Trump is seeking to put his imprint on the federal judiciary for generations to come. While the latest opening on the Supreme Court is commanding all the attention, with Trump set to announce his pick on Monday night, the nominees to the lower courts are also consequential. More than 40 federal district and circuit court judges have been confirmed to lifetime appointments so far during Trump’s term, and those judges will have enormous sway in shaping legal arguments nationwide.

more
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/mcconnells-legacy-hinges-on-reshaping-the-courts-under-trump