A Reminder

With the president standing by his side, Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in today as a judge on the D.C. Circuit. After Brett's three long years of waiting and uncertainty, the sight of the ceremony – with the president standing by Kavanaugh's side and Justice Kennedy doing the swearing in – was heart warming for those of us who have fought for this nominee's confirmation. But the ceremony was also a time for reflection on the President's other long-stalled nominees: Terrence Boyle, William Haynes, and William Myers.

In other words, Brett's confirmation and swearing in should not be occasions for patting ourselves on the back. Instead, they should serve as a reminder that we have a lot more work to do, as recent statements by the leading constitutionalist organizations involved in the judges fight made clear. Let's hope that today's swearing in also serves as a reminder to Senate Republican leadership that there can be other heart-warming ceremonies in the near future if only they would make confirming judges a true priority.