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...

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

What are we doing here? nominationnotes.substack.com/p/five-senat...

Analysis: How Senate Judiciary Democrats are showing up on judicial nominations A look at senators’ engagement related to hearings, QFRs, markups, and committee votes.

ANALYSIS: A look at how all 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are showing up on judicial nominations — including through their engagement with hearings, questions for the record, markups, and committee votes. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/analysis-h...

“We have to call out everything”: One year into Trump 2.0, fair courts advocates chart the path forward Trump is still appointing judges — and advocacy organizations are still fighting back.

One year into Trump's second term, civil rights and fair courts advocates chart the path forward. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/we-have-to...

The Senate Judiciary Committee Just Advanced Six Judicial Nominees. Two Received Bipartisan Support. The nominees, who would serve lifetime appointments, could see floor consideration later this month.

The Senate Judiciary Committee this morning voted to advance six more of Trump’s nominees to serve as lifetime federal judges on district courts across the country.

Two of them received bipartisan support. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/the-senate...

nomination notes | Patrick McNeil | Substack Nomination notes covers nominations to the federal bench, judicial diversity, democracy, and more. Click to read nomination notes, by Patrick McNeil, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscriber...

Interested in federal judicial nominations and judicial diversity-related issues? I cover them on my Substack, including nine stories just this week (in case you need some weekend reading!).

Consider subscribing/sharing — and stay tuned for more in the coming days 🤓 nominationnotes.com

In Responses to Written Questions, Judicial Nominees Continue to Demonstrate They’re Unqualified New responses posted by the Senate Judiciary Committee raise serious concerns.

Trump's lifetime judicial nominees continue to demonstrate that they're unqualified for service on the federal bench. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/in-respons...

Five Years After January 6, Trump’s Judicial Nominees Won’t Talk About It “They have self-selected themselves as people who are willing to compromise their integrity,” one advocate said.

Five years after the attack on the U.S. Capitol and American democracy, Trump’s nominees to the federal bench will not directly respond to questions about certain subjects that may anger the president who nominated them. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/five-years...

Nomination Notes Wrapped A look back at my coverage of judicial nominations in 2025.

As 2025 — and the first two and a half months of this Substack — comes to a close, we're looking back on the nearly 50 stories posted and sharing highlights ahead of the new year.

Here’s a recap of some of our reporting — and a note about what’s to come. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nomination...

Civil Rights and Fair Courts Advocates Call Out Trump’s Judicial Nominations, Remain Committed to Fight Ahead A look at what happened this year — and what’s to come.

A look at what happened this year on judicial nominations, with insight from @nwlc.org, @peoplefor.bsky.social, and @lambdalegal.org — who all remain deeply committed to the work ahead to ensure a fair federal judiciary. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/civil-righ...

Judicial Nominee Tells Republican Senator: “I Believe Every Word of the Bible” It was a jaw-dropping exchange. And: Every nominee refused to say who won the 2020 election or comment on January 6.

NEW: Three more of Trump's lifetime judicial nominees appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, with Indiana nominee Justin Olson telling Senator Kennedy: "I believe every word of the Bible."

Here are the highlights from today's hearing: nominationnotes.substack.com/p/judicial-n...

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.

Brian Lea has never practiced in Tennessee, but he has been nominated for a lifetime judgeship in the state.

He will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow morning — and this must be examined. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/trump-nomi...

What We Know — And Don’t Know — About Judicial Nominations This Week Trump could still get to 30 lifetime judges this year.

Senators are scheduled to leave for the holidays once they conclude their business this week. What that business will include — at least with respect to judicial nominations — remains unclear.

New nominees? More confirmations? I lay it all out here:
nominationnotes.substack.com/p/what-we-kn...

Judicial Nominee Tries to Redefine What It Means to Be Pro-Civil Rights His stunning written response is at odds with his long and disturbing record.

This man is now a lifetime federal judge. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/judicial-n...

More White Men Are Set to Become Lifetime Federal Judges This Week Mississippi and Louisiana nominees will be the Senate’s priority beginning today.

The Senate gavels back in shortly. Here's what's coming up this afternoon, the rest of the week, and the remainder of the year as it relates to their consideration of Trump's lifetime judicial nominees. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/more-white...

North Carolina Just Got Four More White Federal Judges And far too many Senate Democrats voted for three of them.

ICYMI: As the president spewed racism and hate-filled language all week, the Senate prioritized the confirmation of his nominees to serve as federal judges.

Four white people were confirmed to lifetime judgeships in North Carolina this week. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/north-caro...

Trump Called Federal Judges “Monsters.” His Nominees Won’t Say If They Agree. They debase themselves in pursuit of proving their loyalty to the president.

No nominees to date have mustered the courage to say that federal judges who rule against the administration are not “monsters” — debasing themselves, perhaps, in pursuit of proving their loyalty to the man who nominated them.

New in Nomination Notes: nominationnotes.substack.com/p/trump-call...

Senate Set to Confirm Four North Carolina District Court Nominees This Week More white lifetime judges for the white nationalist president.

Update on Trump's judicial nominees: The Senate is set to confirm four North Carolina district court nominees this week — with the possibility for more. As it stands, the Senate could still hit 30 lifetime judicial confirmations this year. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/senate-set...

The White Nationalist President Is Still Installing Lifetime Judges Senators of all parties should be doing more to stop it.

“But even after he’s out of office, Trump hopes they will bring their bias to the bench, deliver on his agenda of discrimination, and be loyal to the man who appointed them.” nominationnotes.substack.com/p/the-white-...

Native American Judges Are Underrepresented on the Federal Bench A reminder, for all of us, during Native American Heritage Month.

A Native American Heritage Month reminder: Only eight Native Americans have ever served as lifetime federal judges. That is…not a lot.

All federal courts would benefit from the service of Native judges and other judges with deep experience in Indian law. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/native-ame...

Trump Could Reach 30 Lifetime Judicial Confirmations This Year It’s a possibility — not a certainty — that the Senate will help him get there in 2025.

It's possible that Trump will secure 30 lifetime judicial confirmations this year, surpassing the 18 district and circuit court judges confirmed by the Senate during the first year of his first term. My explainer on how this could happen: nominationnotes.substack.com/p/trump-coul...

Trump-Appointed Judges Continue to Undermine Civil and Human Rights On issues related to transgender rights, immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, and more.

Several new posts from @peoplefor.bsky.social — in their Confirmed Judges, Confirmed Fears series — show that Trump-appointed judges continue to undermine civil and human rights. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/trump-appo...

Leader Thune Tees Up Votes on Two North Carolina Judicial Nominees David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman are up for lifetime seats on the bench.

This afternoon, Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture on the nominations of David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Here's what you need to know. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/leader-thu...

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Four Judicial Nominees Four more white men are one step closer to lifetime judgeships.

This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced four of Trump's judicial nominees — all white men — to the Senate floor. Here's what happened during the committee markup and what their confirmations will mean for courts in Louisiana and Mississippi. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/senate-jud...

Nominee Who Condemns Violence Against Law Enforcement Won’t Comment on January 6 When asked about Trump's January 6 pardons, Nick Ganjei weirdly kept bringing up Biden.

Nick Ganjei, whose nomination to the Southern District of Texas is opposed by @peoplefor.bsky.social and @afj.org, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee today alongside nominees for district courts in Arkansas and Alaska.

Here's what happened. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nominee-wh...

On Dignity, Trump’s Anti-Trans Judges, and Queer Representation on the Courts A note as we close out Transgender Awareness Week.

As Transgender Awareness Week comes to a close today, a note from @patrickryne.bsky.social on dignity, Trump’s anti-trans judicial appointees, and queer representation on the federal bench. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/on-dignity...

Nominee Who Condemns Violence Against Law Enforcement Won’t Comment on January 6 When asked about Trump's January 6 pardons, Nick Ganjei weirdly kept bringing up Biden.

NEW: At today's hearing, Texas judicial nominee Nick Ganjei was repeatedly asked about Jan. 6 given his record of condemning violence against law enforcement. He wouldn't answer or comment on Trump's pardons (but weirdly kept bringing up Biden). And more: nominationnotes.substack.com/p/nominee-wh...

nomination notes | Patrick McNeil | Substack Nomination notes covers nominations to the federal bench, judicial diversity, democracy, and more. Click to read nomination notes, by Patrick McNeil, a Substack publication. Launched a month ago.

I started @nominationnotes.substack.com one month ago today (the Bluesky is new, though!) — and 23 stories later, I'm still going!

For news related to judicial nominations & judicial diversity, and larger democracy issues, please consider reading, sharing & subscribing: nominationnotes.substack.com

Here’s Where Things Stand on Trump’s Judicial Nominees New lifetime nominations, a hearing this week, and more.

New this morning: The Senate returns tomorrow ahead of their Thanksgiving recess next week. Here's where things stand on Trump's nominees to lifetime federal judgeships — including new nominations, a hearing and markup this week, and more. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/heres-wher...

nomination notes | Patrick McNeil | Substack Nomination notes covers nominations to the federal bench, judicial diversity, democracy, and more. Click to read nomination notes, by Patrick McNeil, a Substack publication. Launched a month ago.

NOMINATION NOTES covers nominations to the federal bench, judicial diversity, larger democracy issues, and more.

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