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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Senate Judiciary Committee held consideration of Thomas Kirsch’s nomination until its Dec. 10 meeting, putting the U.S. Attorney for the Northern Indiana District’s confirmation to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in a tight race against the clock.
Kirsch was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy when Amy Coney Barrett was elevated to the U.S. Supreme Court in October. The native of northwestern Indiana appeared before the judiciary committee Nov. 18, where he was grilled about his approach to originalism and the flow of guns from Indiana into Chicago.
Delaying a vote on a judicial nominee for a week is a common procedural move on the judiciary committee. Once he gets approved by the committee, Kirsch would need to be confirmed by a majority of the full Senate to join the federal appellate bench.
However, his confirmation is getting squeezed by the clock.
If the Senate recesses for the Christmas holiday without voting on his confirmation and if both Democrats win races for Senate seats in the January Georgia runoff election, Kirsch’s nomination likely would die on the Senate floor.
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