TRUMP’S NOMINEES THREATEN JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND THE RULE OF LAW
QUICK READ: President Trump has now appointed 1/3 of the federal judiciary and is attempting to consolidate the power SCOTUS gave him by stacking the judiciary with loyal, radical, far-right, unqualified judges dedicated not to upholding the Constitution, but to advancing his quest for unchecked and unmoderated power. Senators can stop or slow down all these threats to our democracy. Senators must use that power before it’s too late.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
Trump views the judiciary not as an independent protector of the rule of law but as an institution to manipulate for his own political and unlawful ends. Frustrated by repeated lower court that threaten or slow down his authoritarian agenda and their attempts to force him to comply with the law and the Constitution, he’s working—with the help of GOP Senate sycophants and some Democrats—to fully capture the federal judiciary.
During his first term, he stacked the courts with 234 federal judges who’ve eroded fundamental rights and protections and favored the powerful. During 2025, these district courts ruled for him 25%, appellate courts 51%, and SCOTUS 88% of the time, while his district court appointees supported him 55% and his appellate appointees 92% of the time.
This term Trump’s nominated 72 crony judges, known for rolling back our rights, issuing extreme decisions benefitting him and his benefactors, and demonstrating total loyalty to him, and confirmed 55—all avoiding the truth about the outcome of the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection, which should have sunk their nominations.
While most Democrats adamantly opposed them, even unawareness that the 22nd Amendment precluded a third term for Trump generated no GOP “no” votes.
Nevertheless, 20 Senate Democrats—none from Oregon—voted to confirm at least one second-term nominee—the 6 worst offenders being Durbin (10), a party leader; Kaine (9); Hassan (8); Shaheen (8); King (7); Whitehouse (7)—which, had all Democrats voted “no”, would have stopped nominations least twice.
Democrats wanting the electorate to return them to power must all stand united during this campaign season and beyond.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Democrats cannot earn the trust of American voters by simultaneously telling them how Trump’s destroying our democracy and our way of life and voting for his judicial nominees. I know you know this important fact and that you’ll continue exposing his unqualified judicial nominees, slowing down and derailing their nominations, wherever possible, and voting not to confirm them, and I thank you for that. But now it is time to use your influence to convince your colleagues to (1) stand united in opposition to Trump’s subversion of our judiciary,(2) use their bully pulpits to show the American people how awful these judges who’ll be affecting their lives for decades really are, (3) explain how they’re slowing down the train wreck, and (4) discuss the judicial qualities they’ll demand when they take over the Senate.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Democrats cannot earn the trust of American voters by simultaneously telling them how Trump’s destroying our democracy and our way of life and voting for his judicial nominees. I know you know this important fact and that you’ll continue exposing his unqualified judicial nominees, slowing down and derailing their nominations, wherever possible, and voting not to confirm them, and I thank you for that. But now it is time to use your influence to convince your colleagues to (1) stand united in opposition to Trump’s subversion of our judiciary,(2) use their bully pulpits to show the American people how awful these judges who’ll be affecting their lives for decades really are, (3) explain how they’re slowing down the train wreck, and (4) discuss the judicial qualities they’ll demand when they take over the Senate.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
You and your party have no idea how to govern, and every day you hold power you lie to your constituents and make their lives worse. Your obsequence to Trump is disgraceful. You took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to support Trump’s thievery and corruption, use of the government to reward his friends and punish his enemies, refusal to comply with the law and the Constitution, cruel and illegal mass deportation of law-abiding immigrants, treatment of ICE as his own personal army, imposition of illegal tariffs to feed his ego, and haphazard commencement of illegal wars all over the globe to make himself seem powerful. You deserve to lose the next election, and I will do everything in my power to see that it happens.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Even though you don’t have a voice in choosing our federal judiciary, you have an important role to play in the time leading up to the midterms. Please convey to voters how bad Trump’s judges are, how they’ll be destroying our democracy and the programs Americans want and need for decades to come, the qualities that Democrats will demand when they’re back in power, and how the Democratic Party will work to protect us all against the evils Trump’s trying to institutionalize.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You and your party have no idea how to govern, and every day you hold power you lie to your constituents and make their lives worse. Your obsequence to Trump is disgraceful. You took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to support Trump’s thievery and corruption, use of the government to reward his friends and punish his enemies, refusal to comply with the law and the Constitution, cruel and illegal mass deportation of law-abiding immigrants, treatment of ICE as his own personal army, imposition of illegal tariffs to feed his ego, and haphazard commencement of illegal wars all over the globe to make himself seem powerful. You deserve to lose the next election, and I will do everything in my power to see that it happens.
Script for Maxine Dexter (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Even though you don’t have a voice in choosing our federal judiciary, you have an important role to play in the time leading up to the midterms. Please convey to voters how bad Trump’s judges are, how they’ll be destroying our democracy and the programs Americans want and need for decades to come, the qualities that Democrats will demand when they’re back in power, and how the Democratic Party will work to protect us all against the evils Trump’s trying to institutionalize.
Script for Val Hoyle (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Even though you don’t have a voice in choosing our federal judiciary, you have an important role to play in the time leading up to the midterms. Please convey to voters how bad Trump’s judges are, how they’ll be destroying our democracy and the programs Americans want and need for decades to come, the qualities that Democrats will demand when they’re back in power, and how the Democratic Party will work to protect us all against the evils Trump’s trying to institutionalize.
Script for Janelle Bynum (OR-05)
Oregon City office: 503-387-8651 |DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Even though you don’t have a voice in choosing our federal judiciary, you have an important role to play in the time leading up to the midterms. Please convey to voters how bad Trump’s judges are, how they’ll be destroying our democracy and the programs Americans want and need for decades to come, the qualities that Democrats will demand when they’re back in power, and how the Democratic Party will work to protect us all against the evils Trump’s trying to institutionalize.
Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Even though you don’t have a voice in choosing our federal judiciary, you have an important role to play in the time leading up to the midterms. Please convey to voters how bad Trump’s judges are, how they’ll be destroying our democracy and the programs Americans want and need for decades to come, the qualities that Democrats will demand when they’re back in power, and how the Democratic Party will work to protect us all against the evils Trump’s trying to institutionalize.
FURTHER READING
Trump’s ‘Superstar’ Appellate Judges Have Voted 133 to 12 in his favor
Jan. 6 prosecutors urge Senate to stop confirming Trump’s election-denier nominees
Trump Judicial Nominee Unsure Whether Constitution Applies to Trump
With Democratic support, Senate confirms Trump’s tenth Louisiana district court judge
Eight Democrats vote to confirm a lifetime judge who wouldn’t say Biden won in 2020
Eleven Senate Democrats vote to confirm Trump judicial nominee from Michigan.
Trump faces tight timeline to appoint judges as midterm loom
