The News
US Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin has big plans to reshape the judiciary over the next two months before Republicans take total control of Washington, but they don’t include replacing Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the Supreme Court.
The Illinois Democrat dismissed as “idle speculation” the idea that she would retire early so Democrats could confirm a replacement this year.
Durbin did chart out plans to confirm more than 20 judges before the end of the Congress, work that began on Monday night.
The White House insisted it plans to prioritize judicial confirmations before President Biden leaves office but wouldn’t say if new nominations were in the offing.
Meanwhile, Republican hopes for another Trump Supreme Court nominee dimmed somewhat after The Wall Street Journal reported that Justice Samuel Alito has no plans to retire and clear the way for another conservative.