Biden ties Trump on judicial confirmations with Senate's approval of his 234th nominee
CBSN
Washington — The Senate on Friday confirmed President Biden's 234th nominee to the federal judiciary, matching the number of judges approved for lifetime appointment to the nation's courts during President-elect Donald Trump's first term.
The confirmation of Benjamin Cheeks to the federal district court in Southern California by a 49 to 47 vote led Mr. Biden to tie the number of his predecessor's judicial appointments. The president is on track to surpass Trump's confirmations to the federal bench before the year's end, with the Senate teeing up the nomination of Serena Murillo to the federal district court in Central California.
As he nears the end of his presidency, Mr. Biden will close out his four years in office having appointed one Supreme Court justice, 45 judges to the federal appeals courts, 186 to the district courts and two to the Court of International Trade. His selection of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made history, since she is the first Black woman to serve on the nation's highest court.
