According to a report from Punchbowl News, now that the Democrats have control of the U.S. Senate, one senator plans to use his ascension to chair of the Judiciary Committee’s Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights subcommittee to take a hard look at how “dark money” is being used to elevate conservative judges to lifetime federal appointments.
In particular, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) plans to focus on the Federalist Society which has long made recommendations to Republican presidents when it comes to critical appointments that can sway the balance of the courts.With Punchbowl describing Whitehouse’s plans as a “war” on the Federalist Society, the report notes that the Democrat has long been seeking to dig into the conservative group’s influence.
Reporting that Wednesday’s hearing is being called, “What’s Wrong with the Supreme Court: The Big-Money Assault on Our Judiciary,” the report states, “Whitehouse’s target is the Federalist Society, which he says has been involved in a years’ long effort to gain control of the federal judiciary — especially the Supreme Court. It’s a topic Whitehouse has railed about for awhile, including during the confirmation hearing for now Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.” Continue reading.