Paying college athletes - Religious affiliation drops - Biden’s judicial nominees

President Biden today announced the first 11 judicial nominees of his term, a diverse list of names that he framed as a first step toward neutralizing the impact of his predecessor’s push to move the federal bench decidedly rightward. The White House emphasized the speed of its nominations, pointing out that no administration had named as many judicial nominees so early in its first term.
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Trump installed almost as many federal judges in four years as President Barack Obama had in his eight-year tenure. By [January 2021], Trump’s appointees accounted for nearly three out of every 10 federal judges. While Trump’s nominees were mostly prosecutors and corporate law partners, Biden has chosen a slate of lawyers and judges whose careers include civil rights litigation, public service and criminal defense.
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The Democrats have one big advantage. As the Democratic majority leader for part of Obama’s presidency, [former Senator Harry Reid] disallowed the filibuster on judicial appointments (while keeping it for votes on legislation), making it easier for the president to get his appointees confirmed. When Trump became president, [then-Senate Majority Leader McConnell] took full advantage of [Reid's] maneuver.