Today, Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s replacement on the D.C. Circuit, Neomi Rao, was confirmed.  This was yet another “victory” in the effort to confirm great judges and justices.  The results are starting to show. 

Today, at the end of a long executive business meeting, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to report favorably the nominations of William Barr to be Attorney General and 44 judicial nominees, including circuit court nominees Bridget S. Bade (Ninth Circuit), Paul B. Matey (Third Circuit), Eric D. Miller (Ninth Circuit), Eric E. Murphy (Sixth Circuit), Chad A. Readler (Sixth Circuit), and Allison Jones Rushing (Fourth Circuit).  The judicial nominees had previously had hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee but were held up by Democrats' delays and obstructions, so they had to be re-nominated by President Trump in this Congress.

Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing for current Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Administrator and Scalia Law Professor Neomi Rao's nomination to the D.C. Circuit.  RNLA Executive Director Michael Thielen described in the Daily Caller how Senate Judiciary Democrats attempted to trip her up and ended up only looking foolish themselves:

Today was the testimony of expert panelists regarding the confirmation of the Honorable William Barr to become Attorney General of the United States. Republican witnesses offered testimony explaining why Mr. Barr is the right fit at the U.S. Department of Justice. Meanwhile, the Democratic witnesses failed to present any real concerns about Mr. Barr or his past tenure as Attorney General in the early 1990s but rather focused on other, systemic issues they perceive in the laws and justice system. Some of most noteworthy testimony for Republican witnesses included:

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its public consideration of William Barr, President Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Senate Judiciary Democrats tried and failed to trip up Mr. Barr, who was professional, calm, and lawyerly throughout the hearing.  He frequently declared that he would be an independent attorney general committed to the rule of law and the Constitution, as he was when he served as President George H.W. Bush's attorney general.  The RNLA live-tweeted the hearing.

Here's a look back at what happened the last time the Senate considered him for the same job.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will have three new faces on the Republican side as the 116^th Congress gets underway today: Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, Senator Marsh Blackburn from Tennessee, and Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri. Senators Ernst and Blackburn will be the first two women to ever serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee for the Republicans. These new committee members will be in the spotlight as the Senate Judiciary Committee looks to continue confirmation hearings on judges and cabinet members, especially the already announced hearing on President Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, William Barr, which will take place on January 15 and 16, per a statement released by outgoing Chairman Chuck Grassley and incoming Chairman Lindsey Graham.