Senate Republicans cleared the way Wednesday for approval of the first of President Trump’s slate of circuit court nominees, heading off Democrats’ attempted filibuster of Judge Amul Thapar.
The 52-48 vote to defeat the filibuster sets up a likely final confirmation vote Thursday.
Democrats had tried to block Judge Thapar from ascending to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, saying they were concerned that the conservative Federalist Society has backed him.
Democrats also took issue with a ruling Judge Thapar made on judicial ethics, which they said equated political financial contributions to free speech protected by the First Amendment.
No Democrats joined Republicans in backing the judge Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said the judge has received the highest rating from the American Bar Association, which rated him “unanimously well-qualified.”
“I know he’ll make a great addition to the Sixth Circuit,” Mr. McConnell said.
Democrats would likely have had a shot at blocking Judge Thapar’s nomination save for their move in 2013 to trigger the so-called “nuclear option,” using a shortcut to change Senate rules to be able to surmount a filibuster by simple majority vote, not the previous 60-vote threshold.
Judge Thapar is Mr. Trump’s first circuit nominee.
He was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky by President George W. Bush in 2008, becoming the first South Asian federal judge.
Once on the 6th Circuit he will become just the second South Asian appeals court judge, following President Obama’s appointment of Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen in 2012 to the 9th Circuit.
Mr. Trump faced 20 circuit court vacancies when he took office, and has made nominations for six of the seats, including Judge Thapar. The other picks have not yet been scheduled for confirmation hearings.
Mr. Trump is expected to approve the 14 other picks next month.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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