Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Goody, Goody

Last week the Trump administration announced it was nominating three attorneys to the 9th Circuit, the largest and busiest federal appeals court in the country. When I mentioned this to my friend, Patti, she said that Trump’s action on the 9th Circuit kinda reminded her of a song that had been recorded by her favorite, Frank Sinatra, and in addition had been sung by Frankie Lymon a few times on the Ed Sullivan Show.

As she then sang a few bars, I could envision the lyrics being directed to the two Senators from California:

So you met someone who
Set you back on your heels
Goody goody!

White House officials had been negotiating with California Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris (both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee), earlier in the year about filling these and other federal court vacancies. However, Senate aides confirmed that the dialogue had collapsed this past summer. I then recalled that the chaos in the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing was started by Senator Feinstein, as Patti continued to sing:

So you met someone and                                                                                                    Now you know how it feels.                                                                                                                            Goody, goody!

President Trump’s nominees for the appeals court — litigators Daniel Collins and Kenneth Lee and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Bumatay — are all based in Southern California, are prominent members of the conservative Federalist Society, and have worked for Republican administrations. None of the three were approved by Feinstein or Harris via a process known as a “blue slip.” Recall that Senator Harris was extremely obnoxious and insulting toward Judge Kavanaugh during the recent Senate hearings. Patti sang on:

So you lie awake
Just singing the blues all night
Goody goody!

Feinstein whined, “Last night the White House moved forward without consulting me, picking controversial candidates from its initial list and another individual with no judicial experience who had not previously been suggested.” Patti concluded:

And I hope you’re satisfied
You rascal you!

Another issue for Democrats was the age of Trump’s nominees, as these judgeships are lifetime appointments. Bumatay, Collins and Lee are all in their 40s and 50s – which means they could potentially remain on the 9th Circuit Court for decades. Democrats would have preferred older nominees. Patti and I then sang a duet:

Hurray and hallelujah!
You had it coming to ya

Personally, as I thought about what President Trump did . . .  plowing ahead to fill three vacancies on the liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals with conservatives, while brushing aside Democratic resistance, I sang the last verse:

Goody goody for him
Goody goody for me

And added:

Goody, goody for the U.S.A.!

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