Arkansas Senators Move to Block Trump Nominee Lee Rudofsky

by

Arkansas senators block Trump circuit court nominee

Arkansas Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton are moving to block the nomination of Lee Rudofsky to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Bloomberg Law reported.

The move potentially obstructs one of President Donald Trump’s final opportunities to seat a circuit court judge before Democrats assume control of the Senate in January. Rudofsky, who was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas by Trump in 2019, is currently facing opposition from his own state’s senators.

Insiders suggest the friction stems from a disagreement over the preferred candidate for the appellate seat. Boozman and Cotton are reportedly backing Cody Hiland, a justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court. Hiland previously indicated his desire for the position, noting in an August video to law students that he had expected the appointment but was instead offered a trial court judgeship, which he declined.

The political stakes for the Arkansas representatives are high. Robert Luther III, who worked on judicial nominations in the White House Counsel’s Office during the first Trump administration, said the opposition could hurt their political standing.

“If he wants the fact that he took out President Trump’s last circuit court nominee to be part of his political legacy, that seems like a very foolish idea,” Luther said.

The lack of support from the home-state senators was visible during the legislative process. Neither Boozman nor Cotton introduced Rudofsky during his September Senate hearing, a departure from the standard protocol for judicial nominees. Mike Davis, a former Senate Judiciary staff member and legal adviser to Trump, described the omission as an “unforgivable sin” on social media.

Ia trump nominates arkansas judge lee rudofsky to eighth circuit court of appeals

Davis suggested that Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina might be following the lead of the Arkansas senators. Both Cornyn and Tillis serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee and are scheduled to leave office in January. Their offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding these claims.

The timing of the standoff creates a narrow window for the current administration. A White House official stated that the administration expects all pending judicial nominees to be confirmed this year, emphasizing that Senate Republicans should not leave vacancies open for the incoming Democratic majority.

Trump-aligned attorneys say Arkansas senators trying to block judicial appointment

Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who is expected to become the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee in January, urged the Senate to move forward with confirmations. Lee noted on X that if the Senate fails to act now, President Trump will likely be unable to fill these specific positions during the next Congress.

The race to fill appellate vacancies

Rudofsky is one of four appeals court nominees currently awaiting Senate action. While his path is stalled by the Arkansas senators, other nominees are moving closer to a vote.

Nominee Circuit Court Status
Daniel Domenico Tenth Circuit Pending vote
Anna St. John Fifth Circuit Pending vote
Todd Butler Fifth Circuit Hearing scheduled Tuesday
Lee Rudofsky Eighth Circuit Blocked by home-state senators

If confirmed, Rudofsky would succeed Judge Bobby Shepherd, who is set to take senior status following the arrival of a successor. Shepherd, an appointee of George W. Bush in 2006, was the third judge on the Eighth Circuit to announce plans for semi-retirement during Trump’s second term.

The vacancy in the Eighth Circuit is part of a trend of judicial transitions. Recent confirmations to the court include Daniel Traynor, who filled a seat vacated by Judge Ralph Erickson in July, and Justin Smith, who was confirmed in June to a seat previously held by Duane Benton.

The impasse highlights the increasing volatility of the judicial confirmation process as the transition of power approaches. With Democrats expected to block further appeals court nominees once they take the majority in January, the current Republican-led Senate faces a final, contested push to shape the federal bench.

Keep reading

Read next