• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Biden sidesteps Kentucky Democrats, strikes deal with McConnell to appoint anti-abortion lawyer (Up: Biden drops deal)

Reader mode
Raftina

Raftina

Member
Jun 27, 2020
3,740
Biden is trading the judgeship for 2 US Attorney positions. The lawyer was too controversial for Trump because he was involved in what resembled a sale of a pardon for a murderer in exchange for political donations.

slate.com

The Biden-McConnell Deal to Make an Anti-Abortion Advocate a Federal Judge Is Still On

New details of the controversial Kentucky compromise that has enraged Democrats.
slate.com slate.com

President Joe Biden struck a deal with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to nominate Chad Meredith, a Republican anti-abortion advocate, to a federal judgeship on the Eastern District of Kentucky, Slate has confirmed. Under the arrangement, Meredith would take the seat currently occupied by Judge Karen Kaye Caldwell, a George W. Bush nominee. Caldwell submitted her move to senior status on June 22, which, once complete, will allow Meredith to take the seat. A lawyer with connections to the Kentucky governor's office who is familiar with the agreement told Slate that Caldwell conditioned her move upon the confirmation a successor—specifically, the conservative Meredith. In exchange, McConnell will allow Biden to nominate and confirm two U.S. Attorneys to Kentucky.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The deal has prompted fury from Democrats since it was first reported by the Louisville Courier Journal's Andrew Wolfson and Joe Sonka on Wednesday. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, confirmed the planned nomination at a Thursday press conference. Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth also confirmed the White House's intent to nominate Meredith in an interview with Slate on Friday. Yarmuth described the agreement as "indefensible" and said he wrote "the strongest text message I have ever written to anybody" to a contact at the White House expressing his "outrage."

Beshear and Yarmuth were especially frustrated because they had intended to submit potential nominees as soon as vacancy arose on the court. The White House was aware of this plan, but did not inform them that Caldwell planned to take senior status. As a result, Beshear and Yarmuth had no opportunity to make recommendations. Instead, the Biden administration coordinated with McConnell to tee up Meredith's nomination once Caldwell announced her intent to leave the seat. According to Slate's source in Kentucky, McConnell agreed, in exchange, to stop blocking Democrats' preferred nominees for U.S. Attorney in the state. McConnell has sought to place his own allies in these positions—including prosecutor Thomas B. Wine, who as the Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney refused to charge the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Meredith is an especially controversial nominee because of his close ties with Matt Bevin, the former Republican governor. He played an integral role in the controversial pardons that Bevin issued after losing reelection in 2019. Most notably, the former governor pardoned Patrick Baker, a man convicted of homicide whose family hosted a political fundraiser for Bevins. U.S. Attorneys later retried Baker in federal court; he was once again convicted by a jury and sentenced to nearly four decades in prison. Meredith assisted Bevins with pardons in his capacity as legal counsel to the governor, recommending which applicants merited clemency. He then withheld records relating to these pardons from the Beshear administration. The Trump administration considered nominating Meredith to a federal judgeship but dropped the plans in 2020 following the pardon controversy, as the Louisville Courier Journal reported at the time.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Edit: The White House has not explained why they are doing this. Here is one possible excuse for Biden. Note that I have not found any support for this idea, so the excuse is speculation.

Traditionally (not a rule), the Senate will not approve a judicial nomination for a Senator's home state unless both Senators from the state agree. This is called Blue Slip, named such because the Senate Judiciary Committee uses a blue slip to solicit their opinion. It also applies to US Attorney nominations. This is not a law or a Senate rule, so the senate can dispense with it. McConnell in fact dispensed with it to confirm Trump's nominations.

It is possible that Manchin, Sinema, and/or more Democratic Senators demanded the restoration of the blue slip practice, making it impossible to confirm judges and US Attorneys to Kentucky unless Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul both agree. I am unable to find any information that supports this idea, but it is the only plausible excuse I can think of.

It still does not excuse sidestepping the Kentucky Democrats (the governor and the state's only Democratic congressional member) to deal with McConnell though.
 
Last edited:
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
117,054
You stupid motherfucker, Joe. When will you idiots learn that you can't actually make deals with Mitch McConnell? He's just gonna stab you in the back before you put the fucking pen down.
 
adj_noun

adj_noun

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
17,445
In exchange, McConnell will allow Biden to nominate and confirm two U.S. Attorneys to Kentucky.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Golly, how nice of him. I hope the president of the united states is properly grateful for this boon that Mitch saw fit to bestow upon him. Generosity of spirit truly runneth over in the chalice of his being.
 
Shiki

Shiki

Member
Nov 30, 2017
522
uh... like... wtf. The optics of this ALONE should make this a non starter in the current climate. WTH is he doing? If he stroke a deal, what is he getting in return that could possibly make him think this is a good idea? I cannot blame any american for feeling a mix of rage, apathy and despair. Observing from Canada, US democrats almost feel like our conservatives (maybe not in the last few years).

Infuriating to watch, all-around :\
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
117,054
Shiki said:
uh... like... wtf. The optics of this ALONE should make this a non starter in the current climate. WTH is he doing? If he stroke a deal, what is he getting in return that could possibly make him think this is a good idea? I cannot blame any american for feeling a mix of rage, apathy and despair. Observing from Canada, US democrats almost feel like our conservatives (maybe not in the last few years).

Infuriating to watch, all-around :\
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Joe is a naive old man who, due to years and years and years in the Senate, thinks Mitch is his "friend".
 

Deleted member 6645

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
657
I won't forget this one. All around failures in leadership from top to bottom. Not sustainable forever.
 
starpower

starpower

The Fallen
Jan 23, 2018
4,032
Canada
little-pinky-swear.gif
 
bruhaha

bruhaha

Banned
Jun 13, 2018
4,122
Terrible decision if it is as reported. Especially if both the Democratic Governor and one of the congressman have come out against it. If there's nothing immediate about the US Attorney positions, he should let the old judge and McConnell play the waiting game.
 
fontguy

fontguy

Avenger
Oct 8, 2018
16,206
Someone explain to me how these two prosecutors are of vital importance, because this is indefensible prima facie.
 

Dekim

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,338
Now, now people. We can't be too harsh on Joe, here. Doing otherwise would be "doomposting" and "suppressing Democratic turnout", as I hear so often here. Vote blue no matter who! /s
 
JaseC64

JaseC64

Enlightened
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,008
Strong Island NY
I do t get how there isn't some liberal yelling at Buden's ear for all the dumb shit he is pulling.

Trump had no issues steam rolling evil shit. Now we got Biden begging to let him do things while letting these evil fucks dance circles around him.

If there is something Dems need...it's a strong man or lady not putting up with GOP bullshit. Ram whatever you need. Fuck man.
 
killerrin

killerrin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,252
Toronto
So basically Biden is throwing in the towel re-abortion and human rights to get 2 temporary positions to give McConnel a permenant position as a "Job Well Done". Fuck off.
 

rickyson33

Banned
Nov 23, 2017
3,053
321852959ce8fa4af3bb10c4719f9ff8.png


more judges than anyone and not a peep here but one bad one who wouldn't have retired to even create the opening otherwise and this thread will probably have dozens of pages

very predictable
 
echoshifting

echoshifting

very salt heavy
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
14,994
The Negative Zone
killerrin said:
So basically Biden is throwing in the towel re-abortion and human rights to get 2 temporary positions to give McConnel a permenant position as a "Job Well Done". Fuck off.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yep this is exactly correct. It's dark as shit that this fucking dude is our last best hope to stave off the resurgence of Trump. It's fucked up, it's pathetic and infuriating. But hey please donate fifteen dollars to Nancy Pelosi because that will fix things.
 
bruhaha

bruhaha

Banned
Jun 13, 2018
4,122
echoshifting said:
Can't be done. The deal is garbage and there's no defending it. I've been mad about it pretty much all day.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It's not a done deal and the White House hasn't responded to it yet as to their reasoning. Based on what is presented in the article I agree it should not be done. This article was seemingly designed to publicize it and get a response.

echoshifting said:
Yep this is exactly correct. It's dark as shit that this fucking dude is our last best hope to stave off the resurgence of Trump. It's fucked up, it's pathetic and infuriating. But hey please donate fifteen dollars to Nancy Pelosi because that will fix things.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

He's replacing a retiring Republican judge. Who apparently conditioned their retirement on replacement by.a specific person. It shouldn't be done but it doesn't change the status quo.
 
less

less

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,865
rickyson33 said:
321852959ce8fa4af3bb10c4719f9ff8.png


more judges than anyone and not a peep here but one bad one who wouldn't have retired to even create the opening otherwise and this thread will probably have dozens of pages

very predictable
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I mean, that is good and all and certainly people just want to find a fucking reason to be angry at Biden/Dems but this is a stupid fucking move especially in this climate. Hopefully it should be walked back.
 
Shiki

Shiki

Member
Nov 30, 2017
522
PlanetSmasher said:
Joe is a naive old man who, due to years and years and years in the Senate, thinks Mitch is his "friend".
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Well, I remember him saying he was certain once Trump was gone he could work with and make deals with Republicans. Back then it was clear as day to any informed observer that this was absolute lunacy... I don't understand how, after EVERYTHING that has happened in the last 18 months (and more) he STILL thinks this is even remotely realistic. Mitch fucking stole a SCOTUS seat from his former administration and we're living the consequences of this shit NOW.

Naive doesn't even begin to cut it.
 
Kill3r7

Kill3r7

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,720
Decisions like this are baffling. Unless he is getting turtle to help him out in the senate this is nonsense.
 
AzorAhai

AzorAhai

Member
Oct 29, 2017
6,730
America, was it so hard to vote for Bernie Sanders?

With that Biden you've got a Trump comeback next, or worse.
 
spookyduzt

spookyduzt

Drive-In Mutant
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
10,936
This is the shit voting Dem for twenty years every election amounts to. I can barely contain my enthusiasm to vote in the midterms. LFG!
 
microgreen

microgreen

Member
Jun 24, 2020
365
rickyson33 said:
321852959ce8fa4af3bb10c4719f9ff8.png


more judges than anyone and not a peep here but one bad one who wouldn't have retired to even create the opening otherwise and this thread will probably have dozens of pages

very predictable
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

That's great and all but how does this deal make sense? A lifetime appointment in exchange for 2 temporary appointments? Seems pretty silly to me.
 
Shiki

Shiki

Member
Nov 30, 2017
522
Sometimes, my cynical self thinks all of this is by design, that they are just trying to grind us down through sheer disillusionment and apathy. I'm feeling this way and it's not even my country
 
Reader mode
You must log in or register to reply here.