Biden group asks Senate Dems to suggest public defenders, civil rights attorneys for federal bench

Dana RemusDana Remus MOREBiden’s decision to serve as White House attorney when he took office next month sent a letter to the Democratic Senators this month asking for their contributions to the district court seats in their state I don’t have that for a federal judge typical corporate law or the pedigree of the prosecutor.

“With respect to US District Court positions, we are particularly focused on nominating individuals whose legal experience has historically been underrepresented at the Bundesbank, including individuals who are defense lawyers, civil rights advocates, and legal aid attorneys, and individuals who are Americans in any way represent life, “Remus wrote in the letter The Hill had received.

The December 22nd letter was first reported on Thursday by the Huffington Post.

The letter comes because advocacy groups have urged Biden’s transition team to take a different approach to appointing federal judges than previous administrations.

The recent presidents of both parties have filled the judiciary with ex-prosecutors, lawyers hailing primarily from reputable law firms specializing in representing large corporations or a combination of both.

The Center for American Progress published a study in August that found that 65 percent of Circuit Court justices sitting directly under the Supreme Court had spent most of their legal careers in private practice, usually in large law firms. According to the study, only three had spent their career as a defense attorney and only one as a nonprofit attorney.

A 2014 study by the progressive group Alliance for Justice (AFJ) found that former President Obama had contributed to this trend. According to the AFJ, by then, 85 percent of Obama candidates were corporate attorneys, prosecutors, or both.

Remus’ letter is a victory for proponents who urged Biden to approach the judiciary nominations differently than his Democratic predecessors.

Christopher Kang, co-founder of the progressive group Demand Justice, welcomed the move and urged Senate Democrats to honor it.

“These are exactly the priorities and processes that we have been pushing for and that are needed to rebalance our courts after four years of Trump and McConnell,” Kang said in a statement. “President-elect Biden’s focus from the start has been Professional Diversity demonstrates his commitment to building on the historic demographic diversity of President Obama’s judges, and his clear timeline underscores that judges will be a priority from day one of his tenure.”

“This letter also sets the tone for senators who have traditionally played an oversized – albeit often undervalued – role in the appointment of judicial officers who may be the cause of delays or who may recommend too many lawyers with over-represented backgrounds such as corporations law firms and prosecutors “, he added.” Now the senators are being warned that they must follow Biden’s lead and make several timely recommendations from lawyers that would restore the balance and legitimacy of our courts. “