patrick mcneil (he/him)

Julie Le “is not an experienced federal court litigator, having only previously worked in immigration court in the federal government — which is a part of the Justice Department, not an actual court. By Tuesday, she was asking a federal judge to hold her in contempt so she could get some sleep.”

I've published six stories already this week because the Senate is rushing through six of Trump's LIFETIME judicial nominees and someone needs to cover it all. I'll have more reporting throughout the week, including about tomorrow's hearing on four more nominees.

Subscribe here: nominationnotes.com

Senate Judiciary Committee to consider anti-civil rights judicial nominees next week It’s the first nominations hearing of the year. Democrats need to show up.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has finally posted the nominees for tomorrow morning's hearing (yes, I've been refreshing). Read my preview, from last week, about the four lifetime judicial nominees being considered (ATF director is also on the agenda): nominationnotes.substack.com/p/senate-jud...

Senator Kennedy asked Justin Olson whether he said, in a sermon, that God “has called wives to be subject to their husbands” and to “serve the good of your husband and support his calling.” Olson recalled saying something along those lines.

“Senator, I believe every word of the Bible," Olson said.

Justin Olson is an anti-trans extremist who’s delivered alarmingly offensive sermons. Soon, he may be a lifetime federal judge. He told senators in December: “I believe every word of the Bible.”

NEW: Leader Thune filed cloture on Justin Olson's nomination this afternoon. Olson is an anti-trans extremist who’s delivered alarmingly offensive sermons. As soon as this Thursday, he could be a lifetime federal judge in Indiana.

Please read and share:
nominationnotes.substack.com/p/justin-ols...

Justin Olson is an anti-trans extremist who’s delivered alarmingly offensive sermons. Soon, he may be a lifetime federal judge. He told senators in December: “I believe every word of the Bible.”

NEW: Leader Thune filed cloture on Justin Olson's nomination this afternoon. Olson is an anti-trans extremist who’s delivered alarmingly offensive sermons. As soon as this Thursday, he could be a lifetime federal judge in Indiana.

Please read and share:
nominationnotes.substack.com/p/justin-ols...

Looks like Justin "I believe every word of the Bible" Olson might be confirmed this week as well.

Read my coverage of his hearing. It was WILD. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/judicial-n...

Peterson dodged answering questions related to:

-Whether Biden won the 2020 election
-What happened on January 6
-Whether Trump can run again
-Whether federal judges are “monsters” for ruling against administration
-Whether Democrats are relentless and evil

Soon he'll be a federal judge for life.

Alaska judicial nominee advances with four Democratic votes Aaron Peterson is the second lifetime nominee this week to garner bipartisan support.

BREAKING: Four Senate Dems (Durbin, Hassan, Shaheen, and Whitehouse) just voted to advance the nomination of Aaron Peterson to serve on the federal bench in Alaska. Follows similar bipartisan vote on an Arkansas nominee this week.

What are we doing here? nominationnotes.substack.com/p/alaska-jud...

Nick Ganjei amplified a disturbing, Pokémon-themed ICE raid video. He’s set to be rewarded with a lifetime judgeship. The Senate votes today on whether to confirm Ted Cruz’s former chief counsel.

BREAKING: The Senate just confirmed this man to be a lifetime federal judge in Texas. Vote was party-line. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nick-ganje...

Cloture was filed yesterday on the nominations of Megan Benton (rated qualified with one recusal) and Brian Lea (rated well qualified). Wild that their ratings are coming in one day before they could be confirmed, but that's how it goes now.

(I know I'm the only one who still cares about this).

NEW: ABA's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary has released more judicial nominee ratings. Interesting rating for Justin Olson: qualified (majority), not qualified (minority), with a note of "insufficient information" and one recusal. Okay! www.americanbar.org/content/dam/...

Nick Ganjei amplified a disturbing, Pokémon-themed ICE raid video. He’s set to be rewarded with a lifetime judgeship. The Senate votes today on whether to confirm Ted Cruz’s former chief counsel.

BREAKING: The Senate just confirmed this man to be a lifetime federal judge in Texas. Vote was party-line. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nick-ganje...

Glad this was at least party-line, but this man should NOT be given a lifetime judgeship. Read my coverage of this nomination from this morning. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nick-ganje...

Five Senate Democrats just voted to advance one of Trump’s judicial nominees Had they all voted ‘no,’ the vote would have failed.

Senators Durbin, Hassan, Kaine, Shaheen, and Whitehouse voted to confirm him.

Here’s my coverage of last night’s procedural vote, when the same five Dems voted to advance his nomination. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/five-senat...

BREAKING: The Senate just confirmed Clay Fowlkes to a lifetime judgeship on the Western District of Arkansas.

Five Senate Democrats voted to confirm him after he refused to say that Trump lost the 2020 election and wouldn't answer questions related to January 6.

This moment demands so much more.

His confirmation vote begins at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Nick Ganjei amplified a disturbing, Pokémon-themed ICE raid video. He’s set to be rewarded with a lifetime judgeship. The Senate votes today on whether to confirm Ted Cruz’s former chief counsel.

NEW: Trump judicial nominee, Nick Ganjei, amplified a disturbing, Pokémon-themed ICE raid video on his official U.S. attorney X account last year. Today the Senate will likely reward him with a lifetime judgeship in Texas.

Confirmation vote is at 2:15PM: nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nick-ganje...

lol i thought of you when i saw the title this morning.

The federal judiciary deserves better than Ganjei's anti-immigrant views, partisan rage, and disturbing affiliations.

In this moment — in any moment — it is appalling that the Senate is poised to reward this man with a lifetime federal judgeship.

Please read and share.

Nick Ganjei amplified a disturbing, Pokémon-themed ICE raid video. He’s set to be rewarded with a lifetime judgeship. The Senate votes today on whether to confirm Ted Cruz’s former chief counsel.

NEW: Trump judicial nominee, Nick Ganjei, amplified a disturbing, Pokémon-themed ICE raid video on his official U.S. attorney X account last year. Today the Senate will likely reward him with a lifetime judgeship in Texas.

Confirmation vote is at 2:15PM: nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nick-ganje...

it's like the SNL skit from this weekend with the mom confessing she's changed her mind about Trump. "the things that are happening — no one could have seen coming."

More votes just got lined up on troubling judicial nominees Megan Benton and Brian Lea could be confirmed as soon as Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leader Thune just filed cloture on the nominations of Megan Benton for the Western District of Missouri and Brian Lea for the Western District of Tennessee. Could be confirmed as soon as Wednesday.

Here's what you need to know about them. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/more-votes...

Started my Substack in mid-October covering federal judicial nominations & just published my 70th (and 71st) stories tonight! I will likely have 8-10 stories this week.

Someday I will have a job again, but until then please consider subscribing! All stories are free & important. nominationnotes.com

This is likely going to happen again tomorrow afternoon, btw. Alaska district court nominee Aaron Peterson had bipartisan support in committee, and I expect he'll get a bunch of Democratic votes on his cloture & confirmation votes.

Cloture vote is tomorrow around 3 (following another vote at 2:15).

The vote was 49-40. If every Democrat had voted ‘no,’ the vote would have failed — forcing Leader Thune to bring it back up later.

Confirmation vote has been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. tomorrow! Then the Senate is moving to the nominations of Ganjei and Peterson. Then Benton and Lea on Wednesday.

Five Senate Democrats just voted to advance one of Trump’s judicial nominees Had they all voted ‘no,’ the vote would have failed.

BREAKING: Five Senate Democrats (Durbin, Hassan, Kaine, Shaheen, and Whitehouse) just voted to advance one of Trump's lifetime judicial nominees.

The nominee wouldn’t say that Trump lost the 2020 election and dodged questions related to January 6. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/five-senat...

More votes just got lined up on troubling judicial nominees Megan Benton and Brian Lea could be confirmed as soon as Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leader Thune just filed cloture on the nominations of Megan Benton for the Western District of Missouri and Brian Lea for the Western District of Tennessee. Could be confirmed as soon as Wednesday.

Here's what you need to know about them. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/more-votes...

Both of these nominees received party line votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee last month — so we'll see what happens on the floor this week!

Trump nominated Brian Lea for a judgeship in Tennessee. He’s never worked there. The nominee’s lack of professional experience in the state where he’s been nominated must be interrogated.

NEW: Leader Thune just filed cloture on the nominations of Megan Benton for the W.D. of Missouri and Brian Lea for the W.D. of Tennessee.

They could be confirmed as soon as Wednesday.

I previously wrote about how Lea has never practiced in Tennessee 🤔 nominationnotes.substack.com/p/trump-nomi...