Senate confirms Trump judicial pick labeled ‘not qualified’ by American Bar Association
The Senate confirmed a President Trump district court pick on Thursday who was labeled “not qualified” by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Justin Walker was confirmed as a judge for the Western District of Kentucky in a 50-41 party-line vote.
{mosads}The ABA noted in a recent memo to senators that the “Standing Committee believes that Mr. Walker does not presently have the requisite trial or litigation experience or its equivalent.” The committee gave Walker a “not qualified” rating.
Democrats have railed against Walker, whose nomination was advanced last week by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a party-line vote.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) chided Republicans ahead of the committee vote, noting that some of Trump’s nominees “have literally never, ever entered a courtroom in their lives.”
“They may not have ever seen a ‘Perry Mason’ show and certainly didn’t stick around for the second half of any ‘Law and Order’ episode,” Durbin said. “Now they want to be trial judges for the rest of their natural lives.”
The ABA noted in its review that Walker “has a very substantial gap, namely the absence of any significant trial experience.”
“Very few are called ‘not qualified,’ but he’s one of them,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said ahead of Thursday’s vote. “It seems the only reason Mr. Walker has been nominated for an austere judgeship is his membership in the Federalist Society and his far-right wing views on health care, civil rights, and executive power.”
Walker, 37, previously clerked for then-Circuit Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh and now-former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber, lined up behind Walker’s nomination.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) praised Walker in a statement last week, saying he was a “thoroughly impressive nominee with the experience and qualifications to excel on the federal bench in Kentucky.”
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