Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Twenty Judicial Nominations, One Executive Nomination to the Full Senate

WASHINGTON – In its first business meeting of the year, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced twenty judicial nominations and one executive nomination to the full Senate, including previously reported judicial and executive nominations that were resubmitted by President Biden this year.

“Advancing and confirming highly qualified, diverse nominees to the federal bench has been one of this Committee’s and Senate Democrats’ greatest successes. Today’s business meeting adds numerous nominations to the Executive Calendar and gives us a tremendous start to another year of bringing balance to the federal judiciary and ensuring a fairer justice system for all,” said U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The reported nominations include Mr. Adeel Mangi to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit, a highly qualified nominee who would be the first Muslim-American circuit court judge if confirmed. At his hearing on December 13, 2023, Mr. Mangi was subjected to baseless accusations of antisemitism by Senate Republicans. The accusations have been denounced by more than a dozen Jewish organizations representing more than one million Jewish Americans.

“Mr. Mangi would be the first Muslim-American to serve as a federal circuit court judge and one of only three Muslim-American judges on the federal bench. We have extensively reviewed his life’s work, and there is no doubt that he is qualified to serve on the federal bench. He repeatedly denounced any forms of hate or bigotry, including against Jewish people, during his hearing and in writing. Any insinuation that Mr. Mangi is antisemitic is rooted in Islamophobic insinuations that have no place in our country, and I look forward to bringing his barrier-breaking nomination to the Senate floor,” said Durbin.

A clip of Sen. Durbin’s remarks on Mr. Mangi is available here.

A clip of Sen. Booker’s remarks on Mr. Mangi is available here.

A clip of Sen. Hirono’s remarks on Mr. Mangi is available here.

Under the leadership of Chair Durbin, the Senate has confirmed 168 judges to lifetime appointments on the federal bench during the Biden administration. Following the meeting, 20 lifetime judges – including 4 circuit court nominees and 14 district court nominees – are eligible for a vote on the Senate floor.

The following nominations were reported by the indicated vote totals:

• Seth Robert Aframe, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit: 11-10
• Nicole G. Berner, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit: 11-10
• Joshua Paul Kolar, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit: 16-5
• Adeel Abdullah Mangi, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit: 11-10
• Jacquelyn D. Austin, to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina: 19-2
• Amy M. Baggio, to be United States District Judge for the District of Oregon: 12-9
• Jacqueline Becerra, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida: 13-8
• Cristal C. Brisco, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Indiana: 14-7
• Melissa Damian, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida: 19-2
• Mustafa Taher Kasubhai, to be United States District Judge for the District of Oregon: 11-10
• Edward Sunyol Kiel, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey: 11-10
• Eumi K. Lee, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California: 11-10
• David Seymour Leibowitz, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida 16-5
• Gretchen S. Lund, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Indiana: 20-1
• Sarah French Russell, to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut: 11-10
• Kirk Edward Sherriff, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California: 12-9
• Julie Simone Sneed, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida: 12-9
• Joseph Albert Laroski, to be a Judge for the United States Court of International Trade: 21-0
• Lisa W. Wang, to be a Judge for the United States Court of International Trade: 12-9
• Ramona Villagomez Manglona, to be Judge for the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands: 21-0
• Deborah Robinson, to be Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Executive Office of the President: 13-8

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