President Biden is just getting started on this one
You probably don’t know the name Angela Martinez. She was an assistant U.S. attorney in Arizona whom the Senate confirmed this week as a federal judge. While she is not a household name, her confirmation marked a milestone in President Joe Biden’s reshaping of the federal judiciary. Martinez was Biden’s 200th successful judicial nomination—a record number for any President of the United States by this point in the first term.
Biden is showing no signs of stopping. On Thursday, just one day after Martinez’ confirmation, Biden reached another milestone, announcing his 50th round of judicial nominees, which brings the total number up to 244. Adding two circuit court and two district court names, Biden again is making good on his commitment to choosing “extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution” while reflecting both personal and professional diversity.
As Biden pointed out, his picks are not just “exceptionally well-qualified” but the most diverse in history, with 64% women and 62% people of color. Prior to their appointments, Biden’s nominees have worked in all fields of law. One of them, Nicole G. Berner, the first openly gay judge and first labor lawyer on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, wrote in a statement, “A court comprised of judges with a broad range of professional and personal backgrounds is better equipped to delve deeply into the variety of cases that come before them.”
Only 13% of Biden’s judicial nominees have been white men while 84% of Trump’s were white and 76% were men, according to a Washington Post analysis of Federal Judicial Center data. In addition, the number of Black nominees for any U.S. appeals court under Trump was zero.
Biden is not just making strides and breaking speed records when it comes to the federal bench; he’s making history. Had Trump won reelection, the federal courts would be without these 200 justices. Instead, the courts would be even more far-right, less committed to upholding the rule of law, and further removed from an accurate representation of America’s diversity. A vote for Biden this November will ensure that this critical progress can continue.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month