Biden intends to nominate conservative, anti-abortion lawyer for federal judgeship, Kentucky Democrats say

U.S President Joe Biden intends to nominate a Republican anti-abortion lawyer for a federal judgeship, two Kentucky Democrats briefed on the decision say.

The likely candidate, conservative attorney Chad Meredith, would serve a life term on the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Meredith’s possible appointment was first reported by the courier diary.

Kentucky Democrats expressed outrage over Meredith’s expected nomination to the court before it became clear a vacancy on the court would arise. But on Friday, United States District Court Judge Karen K. Caldwell of the Eastern District of Kentucky was added to a public list of future federal judicial vacancies, clearing the way for Meredith to potentially join the court.

The list of US courts indicates that Caldwell shared her decision late last month to move to “senior” status as a court judge. By taking senior status, US Court States, judges may choose to handle a reduced number of cases; regardless of that number of cases, the state creates a vacancy on the court they serve.

Biden’s potential nomination comes just as the president vows to use everything in his power to fight for abortion rights in the wake of last week’s US Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. With the removal of the federal constitutional right to abortion, states will have to determine abortion rights unless Congress acts.

Meredith previously worked as a deputy counsel to then-Republican Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, defending a state law that requires doctors performing abortions to first perform an ultrasound and describe the image on the monitor to the patient.


In court in 2018Meredith argued that the law would ensure that women are better informed of their decision because “not all patients understand the consequences of the abortion procedure.”

“This is right at the heart of what states can do to regulate medicine,” Meredith said at the time. “There are a number of patients who don’t understand the nature of the fetus within them.”

A spokesperson for Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky told CNN that the congressman “was informed of the White House’s intent to nominate Meredith by White House staff.” And Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference Thursday that his team was briefed on Biden’s intention to nominate Meredith “late last week.”

“My understanding at this point is that it hasn’t been shipped, which I hope at least means it’s on pause,” Beshear said.

Beshear had strong words for Biden, saying, “If the president makes that nomination, it’s indefensible.”

The governor also criticized Meredith’s involvement in Bevin’s decision to grant hundreds of pardons before leaving office, which included pardons for a variety of violent acts including murder and rape. There were accusations from critics that some of the pardons had been political in nature, bevin denied at the time.

“I don’t know how the president can say he’s for public safety if he makes this nomination,” Beshear added.

Asked for comment, a White House official said: “As a matter of practice, we do not comment on executive or judicial vacancies.”

Yarmuth told The Courier-Journal that he believed Meredith’s potential nomination “is part of a larger deal on judicial nominations between the president and Mitch McConnell,” meaning getting the Senate minority leader to agree not to delay plus Biden’s future federal nominations.

Brian Fallon, co-founder and executive director of Demand Justice, a left-leaning organization focused on US courts, on Friday criticized Biden’s possible nomination of Meredith in contrast to his track record of judicial nominations.

“One of the unqualified success stories of the Biden presidency was his prioritization of judicial nominations and the elevation of public defenders and civil rights attorneys. (the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade) no less,” Fallon tweeted.

CNN has reached out to Meredith and McConnell’s office for comment.

there are 119 Current either expected lower court vacancies. The Biden administration has named a candidate for 34 of those openings so far.

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