Failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took a swing at her former political rival Wednesday, suggesting President Trump’s judicial nominees are lacking the necessary experience for the federal bench.
“We have recently seen people largely chosen on the basis of age and therefore longevity, and therefore, political ideology being pushed through despite having no relevant experience,” Ms. Clinton said at an event hosted at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C.
The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and former first lady joined her husband President Bill Clinton and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the event, recalling Mr. Clinton’s appointment of Justice Ginsburg to the Supreme Court in 1993.
Justice Ginsburg recalled she was 60 years old at the time of her high court nomination and joked with Mr. Clinton about not going with someone younger.
“Some people thought I was too old for the job,” Justice Ginsburg said. “If you worried about my age, it was unnecessary.”
The senior associate justice is 86 years old and one of the oldest tenured justices, having served on the court for about 27 years.
Mr. Trump has made two appointments to the Supreme Court: Justice Neil M. Gorsuch who was 50 years old at the time of his nomination and Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh who was 53.
Both Trump nominees were circuit court judges — just like Justice Ginsburg —before being nominated.
Mr. Trump, though, has seen at least one lower court judicial nominee withdrawal over a lack of experience, which was showcased during his confirmation hearing.
Mr. Clinton acknowledged age is an issue that presidents consider when making judicial appointments, especially to the Supreme Court.
“I hate age discrimination and I hated it when I was young and now that I’m not, I can say that,” Mr. Clinton said. “But I did worry about it.”
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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