iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

SENATOR @blumenthal.senate.gov DID IT!!! 8th Circuit nominee Lee Rudofsky just told Senator Blumenthal that "Joe Biden was certified the winner of the Electoral College" when asked who won the 2020 election. He said "This feels like a very political and policy related issue." cc: @meidastouch.com

Senator Blumenthal holding up a poster of the America.gov response saying that Biden won the 2020 election.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

According to Mike Davis, Sen. Blackburn is blocking Samuel Adkisson's nomination to the Eastern District of Tennessee. Adkisson is a White House lawyer who graduated from law school eight years ago and who has never practiced in Tennessee. "This is a grave mistake by Marsha Blackburn," Davis says.

In a stunning development, U.S. Senator @MarshaBlackburn (R-Tenn.) is blocking President Trump’s nomination of Sam Adkisson to serve as a U.S. district judge. Sam served as a Senate Judiciary Committee special counsel for Chairman Grassley during the Kavanaugh confirmation, clerked for two leading conservative appellate judges, clerked on the Supreme Court, litigated for years at one of the best law firms, and currently serves as associate counsel to President Trump. We could not get a more brilliant, conservative, bold, and fearless pick for the federal bench. This is a grave mistake by Marsha Blackburn.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Interesting: The page was just updated, and only four of these nominees are listed. Kelley and Adkisson aren't included. And Phil Axt, nominated to the District of North Dakota, is also missing, though his questionnaire hasn't been posted by the Judiciary Committee yet either.

Screenshot of the Senate Judiciary Committee's website showing nominees listed for the September 30 nominations hearing.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Appalling. Senator Tuberville just spoke on the Senate floor for 18 minutes next to this poster. He repeatedly referred to being trans as a "mental illness" and condemned "mentally ill woke liberals" for supporting trans people. "It is pure insanity," he said. "What's going on in this country?"

Senator Tommy Tuberville speaks on the Senate floor next to a large poster that says "Transgenderism is a mental disease."

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Chief Judge Timothy Cain of the District of South Carolina, an Obama appointee, announced on Constitution Day yesterday that he'll take senior status on October 1 — opening up a vacancy. Trump has already appointed four of the court's 10 active judges (though one was originally an Obama nominee).

US Courts chart showing that Judge Timothy Cain announced yesterday that he is taking senior status on October 1, 2026.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Here are six more men, all nominated by Trump to serve as lifetime federal judges, refusing to say that Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Six white men, nominated for lifetime federal judgeships, are testifying now before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Six white men take the oath before their confirmation hearing.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

New statement from @joshorton.bsky.social of @wedemandjustice.bsky.social: "Trump isn't hiding the loyalty test anymore. He's telling us, over and over, exactly what he wants in a judge: fidelity to him, not the Constitution." Says Democrats "have no business helping to confirm" any judicial pick.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Mitch McConnell was just on the Senate floor for about 10 minutes to vote for an anti-abortion judicial nominee.

C-SPAN screenshot of the Senate floor, showing Mitch McConnell being pushed around in a wheelchair.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

As assistant SG of Alabama, Mitchell signed a brief in Shelby County v. Holder urging the Supreme Court to gut the Voting Rights Act — stating that “Things in the South have, indeed, changed." During her hearing, she told Ranking Member Durbin that she stands by the arguments made in that brief.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The Senate is back today. Their first vote tonight will be a cloture vote on Matthew Byrne's nomination to the federal bench in Ohio. While at Xavier, Byrne authored this piece about NARAL arguing that the group's name change did not alter — in his words — their “lies” and “disregard for morality.”

An image of Matthew Byrne's column titled "NARAL still means abortion," which was published in the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2003 when Byrne was a student at Xavier University.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This week I hit 200 stories at Nomination Notes since I started my pro-democracy journalism last October. If you appreciate nominationnotes.com and its timely coverage of federal judicial nominations and related issues, please subscribe and consider supporting! www.gofundme.com/f/support-pr...

The homepage of Nomination Notes, showing the five most recently published stories.

The homepage of Nomination Notes, showing nine recently published stories.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

In a statement, @wedemandjustice.bsky.social prez @joshorton.bsky.social expresses gratitude to House GOP for showing that Supreme Court expansion is no longer a radical idea. “Voters won’t forget that in their last dying breath in the majority, Republicans sought to rig the Court in their favor."

Josh Orton statement: “I’m grateful to House Republicans for proving today that expanding the Supreme Court is no longer a radical idea. The American people are sick of an out-of-touch Court that cozies up to billionaires, then floods our elections with corporate cash and attacks our most fundamental rights. Americans have no interest in protecting a corrupt system. Voters won’t forget that in their last dying breath in the majority, Republicans sought to rig the Court in their favor. Under the next Democratic administration, we must end a tyrannical Court majority that does nothing but hand more power to the already-powerful.”

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

BREAKING: The House just voted on H.J.Res. 1 — an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring that the U.S. Supreme Court is composed of nine justices. Because proposals to amend the Constitution require the support of two-thirds of the House, today’s vote FAILED. One Democrat voted in support.

The House floor, with the vote shown on H.J.Res. 1, which was 212-206.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

"He's against abortion and he's for the Bible." Kentucky judicial nominee Dan Ballou ran to serve on the Kentucky Supreme Court in 2018. His campaign "ads," which he linked to on his Senate questionnaire, were all like this. You'll be shocked to learn that he did not win that election.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Here you go. All the Dems not listed here have opposed every judicial nominee so far.

Chart showing how many lifetime judges have been supported by Senate Democrats during Trump's second term.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

NEW: Trump is nominating Jesus Osete to the Western District of Missouri — to a seat that's not vacant until May 2027. Osete serves as Harmeet Dhillon's top deputy at DOJ's Civil Rights Division, which has taken a wrecking ball to civil rights enforcement during Trump's second term. This is bad.

I am pleased to nominate Jesus Osete to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Jesus is the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where he has done tremendous work for our Administration. Previously, Jesus served as General Counsel to the Missouri Secretary of State, and both Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of the Missouri Attorney General. He clerked for Judge Bobby Shepherd of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and Chief Justice Zel Fischer of the Supreme Court of Missouri. Jesus received his Law Degree from Washington University — St. Louis, and his Undergraduate Degree from the University of Arizona. Jesus has the strong recommendation and support of Senator Eric Schmitt and Senator Josh Hawley. He will always be a strong Defender of the Constitution. Congratulations Jesus! President DONALD J. TRUMP

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Trump is nominating Samuel D. Adkisson to serve on the Eastern District of Tennessee. "Sam is currently a Special Assistant in my White House Counsel’s Office, where he has done an incredible job, and worked on numerous important cases, including our Historic Win in the Slaughter case."

I am pleased to announce the nomination of Samuel D. Adkisson to serve as a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Sam is currently a Special Assistant in my White House Counsel’s Office, where he has done an incredible job, and worked on numerous important cases, including our Historic Win in the Slaughter case. Sam previously worked as an attorney in private practice, and for the Senate Judiciary Committee during Justice Kavanaugh’s successful confirmation. Sam was a top student at Vanderbilt University and Yale Law School, and clerked for the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John G. Roberts, Jr., and Federal Appeals Court Judges, Gregory Katsas and Amul Thapar. Sam has exemplified Wisdom and Courage, loves the Constitution, and will always defend the wonderful people of Tennessee. Congratulations Sam! President DONALD J. TRUMP

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Nomination Notes (my Substack) turns 10 months on Monday. I've published nearly 200 stories already with little financial support, so I'll be starting to fundraise next week (or at least attempt to). In the meantime, please subscribe and share with folks who might be interested! nominationnotes.com

The Nomination Notes homepage showing the five most recent stories.

The Nomination Notes homepage showing nine recently published stories.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I'm sorry, what do you mean TODD BLANCHE WAS SWORN IN BY EMIL BOVE?

Bove swears in Blanche as attorney general.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

The Senate is gone for five weeks, but there will still be lots to cover re: judicial nominations, including new nominees this month ahead of hearings in September. Subscribe to nominationnotes.com to stay updated. I'll never put my stories behind a paywall, so a free subscription is all you need!

A screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack, which shows the five most recent stories published.

A screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack, which shows nine recent stories.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Former January 6 prosecutor Michael Romano: "We deserve better from people who are going to hold positions of trust in the United States, who are going to preside over important cases that affect Americans' lives...If nominees can't answer basic questions about January 6, they should be voted down."

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Former January 6 prosecutor Sean Murphy addresses Trump's judicial nominees: "To the judicial nominees currently playing this game: If successful, you may have won yourself a lifetime appointment, but you have lost a lifetime of credibility." "You traded a piece of your soul to occupy the seat."

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The witnesses for tomorrow morning's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing were just posted: Anna St. John for the 5th Circuit, Gregory Cook for the Northern District of Alabama, Jason Manion & John Cronan for the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and Adam Candeub to lead the DOJ's Antitrust Division.

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing agenda for August 5: Anna St. John for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Gregory Cook for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, U.S. Sentencing Commission nominees Jason Manion and John Cronan, and Adam Candeub to serve as assistant attorney general for the antitrust division at DOJ.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Taking a break from writing about judicial nominations to enjoy THIS.

A view of DC from Arlington, VA by the Netherlands Carillon.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Senator Murray deleted this post but I’m sharing my screenshot because it’s too funny not to.

A very funny, now-deleted Bluesky post in which Senator Patty Murray writes Brandon Flowers instead of Benjamin Flowers.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Here's where things stand re: Senate Democrats (including King) supporting Trump's lifetime judicial nominees.

Chart showing how many judicial nominees Senate Democrats have supported since last year.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

GRAHAM: "What we do in this room impacts the safety & prosperity of every American. I understand the weight of this responsibility, and I intend to meet it with the same seriousness, integrity, and care that I've brought to every day of my career in South Carolina, to the people of South Carolina."

Senator Darline Graham at the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting this morning.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

More lifetime judicial confirmations tomorrow: Daniel Traynor for the 8th Circuit and Antonio Pozos for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. There should be 30 hours of post-cloture debate on Traynor's nomination, so tomorrow's vote indicates Democrats have agreed to hold this vote early. Why?

Senate votes scheduled for Thursday, via the Senate Cloakroom twitter account. It shows confirmation votes for both Daniel Traynor and Antonio Pozos on Thursday.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

This was the first Trump 2.0 judicial nominee supported by Senator Slotkin. Now, in total, 20 Senate Democrats have voted for at least one of Trump's lifetime judicial nominees since last year. Senator Durbin has voted for the most — with 10 — followed by Senator Kaine.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Inbox: @wedemandjustice.bsky.social President @joshorton.bsky.social is calling on Senator Slotkin to reverse course and vote NO on confirmation of Michael Martin today. “Michiganders deserve better than another Trump loyalist on the federal bench. We urge Senator Slotkin to vote no.”

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

New statement from @alisonmgill.bsky.social of @nwlc.org: "Unfortunately, like so many of Trump’s nominees, Flowers was picked precisely because he is willing to further an extremist political agenda rather than serve as a fair and independent arbiter of the law.”

Statement from the National Women's Law Center: "Benjamin Flowers has spent his legal career building the legal framework to strip away the rights of women, LBGTQI+ people, and immigrants," said Alison Gill, senior director of democracy and nominations at the National Women's Law Center. "Now, the Republican-controlled Senate has handed him a lifetime seat on one of the most influential courts in the country. Millions of lives will be impacted by the decisions that Flowers hands down in the coming decades; people whose access to reproductive health care, voting rights, and protections under the law depend on whether he will judge impartially or with an ideological bias. Unfortunately, like so many of Trump’s nominees, Flowers was picked precisely because he is willing to further an extremist political agenda rather than serve as a fair and independent arbiter of the law.”

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Five votes today on Trump's lifetime judicial nominees. Two nominees will likely be confirmed, while two others will advance toward a confirmation vote in the days ahead.

The Senate schedule for today showing two votes at 11:30 a.m. (confirmation of Flowers and cloture on Martin), two votes at 2 p.m. (confirmation of Martin and cloture on Pozos), and one vote at 5:30 p.m. (cloture on Traynor).

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Packed day tomorrow in the Senate. Senators will vote to confirm Benjamin Flowers and Michael Martin and vote to invoke cloture on the nominations of Antonio Pozos and Daniel Traynor. Flowers will be the 50th lifetime judge confirmed during Trump's second term.

The Senate vote schedule for Wednesday, July 22, according to the Senate Cloakroom X account. It shows two votes at 11:30AM, two votes at 2PM, and one vote at 5:30PM — all on judicial nominations.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Sooo close to my first 250 subscribers at Nomination Notes, where I've been covering Trump's judicial nominees for the past nine months. Please share 💕 nominationnotes.com

A screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack showing the last five stories published.

A screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack showing nine recently published stories.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I'm glad @schumer.senate.gov spoke about a judicial nominee on the floor this morning, but Benjamin Flowers deserves more than 68 seconds. Much of his egregious record wasn't mentioned. @democrats.senate.gov should be doing much more to voice opposition. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/anti-civil...

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Today marks 9 months of my Substack! Already, I've posted 170+ stories about Trump's judicial nominations, judicial diversity, and more. If you've appreciated my coverage and perspective on this critical issue, please help me reach more folks by sharing! Read and subscribe at nominationnotes.com.

Screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack showing the five most recent stories.

Screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack showing recent stories.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Noting the timing of Trump's speech tonight, @joshorton.bsky.social of @wedemandjustice.bsky.social says that “Democratic senators need to wake up and join reality: there is an authoritarian in the White House who’s attacking our elections, and voting to approve his judges is a grave mistake.”

STATEMENT FROM DEMAND JUSTICE PRESIDENT JOSH ORTON ON THREE SENATE DEMOCRATS ADVANCING TRUMP-LOYALIST JUDGES

“Tonight, Donald Trump, obsessed with his 2020 loss, will give a national speech to reignite baseless and dangerous election conspiracies, all with the intention of undermining the upcoming midterm. Yet this morning, only hours before Trump’s speech, Senators Durbin, Whitehouse, and Hirono voted to support judicial nominees who participate in the very same 2020 election conspiracies just to appease Trump. Democratic senators need to wake up and join reality: there is an authoritarian in the White House who’s attacking our elections, and voting to approve his judges is a grave mistake.”

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

BREAKING: The Senate just confirmed Trump lawyer Matthew Schwartz — handing him a life-tenured judgeship on the powerful 2nd Circuit. He is the third of Trump's personal lawyers to be confirmed to a federal appeals court since last year following the confirmations of Emil Bove and Justin Smith.

A screenshot of the Senate floor showing the vote total on Schwartz's confirmation, which was 50-45.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

NEW: @bennet.senate.gov opposes 10th Circuit nominee Daniel Domenico of Colorado. Says this nomination comes "at a moment when the Trump Administration has spent years undermining the rule of law and eroding the independence of the federal courts. I cannot support his nomination in this context."

“When Judge Domenico last came before the Senate for a nomination to the U.S. District Court, his record was based primarily on his tenure as Colorado’s Solicitor General and his work in private practice. Today, we have the benefit of more than seven years of judicial rulings and a more complete view of the manner in which he approaches his responsibilities – including Judge Domenico’s recent decision upholding the government’s ability to detain individuals in immigration custody without a bond hearing, a position at odds with every other federal district judge and magistrate judge in Colorado. An appellate level role on the federal circuit is fundamentally different from and more consequential than that of a district court judge, and serious questions remain about his interpretations of constitutional and statutory text. Moreover, we are considering Judge Domenico for this new position at a moment when the Trump Administration has spent years undermining the rule of law and eroding the independence of the federal courts. I cannot support his nomination in this context.”

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

BREAKING: The Senate confirmed Mike Hendershot to serve as a lifetime judge on the Northern District of Ohio. Hendershot has an anti-civil and human rights record, including working against abortion access and reproductive freedom. The Senate chose to confirm him today on the anniversary of Dobbs.

A screenshot of the Senate floor livestream, showing the vote total for Hendershot's confirmation. It was 50-44.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Sen @coons.senate.gov asked 8th Circuit nominee Daniel Traynor about his Nov. 2016 tweet saying “It feels good to be deplorable. #MAGA" Traynor said "This post was made following a political election campaign while I was a private citizen. At that time supporters adopted the moniker 'deplorables.'”

Traynor was asked: During your nomination process for your current judicial position in the District of North Dakota in 2019, Senator Durbin asked you in written questions for the record if you had “tweeted or retweeted anything that you regret.” You replied, “None that I can think of.” Traynor said he stands by this statement. When asked if he regrets tweeting on November 9, 2016, “It feels good to be deplorable. #MAGA” — he said: This post was made following a political election campaign while I was a private citizen. At that time supporters adopted the moniker “deplorables.”

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Today marks 8 months of my Substack! Already, I've posted 150+ stories about Trump's judicial nominations, judicial diversity, and more. If you've appreciated my coverage and perspective on this critical issue, please help me reach more folks by sharing! Read and subscribe at nominationnotes.com.

A screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack, which shows the last five stories published.

A screenshot of the homepage of the Nomination Notes Substack, which shows nine recent stories published.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Senator Durbin asked Kasdin Mitchell about a brief she co-authored in Shelby County v. Holder when she was assistant solicitor general of Alabama. Her brief said that “Things in the South have, indeed, changed" and urged SCOTUS to gut the VRA. She said today that she stands by those arguments.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Tomorrow morning the Senate Judiciary Committee was set to advance the nominations of six more white guys to be lifetime judges, but it looks like the markup was cancelled. www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-ac...

A screenshot of the Senate Judiciary Committee website showing that tomorrow's executive business meeting, or markup, has been cancelled.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

8th Circuit pick Daniel Traynor scowls after senators press him on a very political letter he signed (as a judge) saying he wouldn't hire law clerks from Columbia. As they pointed out, he inserted himself into that controversy but wouldn't comment on January 6 because it's a "political controversy."

8th Circuit nominee Daniel Traynor at his confirmation hearing

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

The agenda for tomorrow's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. NOTE: Michael Martin & Antonio Pozos, nominated to the bench in Michigan and Pennsylvania, respectively, are only appearing because Senators Peters, Slotkin, and Fetterman returned their blue slips & allowed Trump to fill the vacancies.

The agenda for the June 10 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing showing the five judicial nominees who will be considered: Daniel Traynor, Angela Colmenero, Michael Martin, Kasdin Mitchell, and Antonio Pozos.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

After cancelling a markup today, the Judiciary Committee has scheduled one for next Thursday, where 6 lifetime judicial nominees should receive votes. They're all white men. One is Trump's personal lawyer. One ruled in his favor while seeking a federal judgeship. All refused to say he lost in 2020.

The agenda of next Thursday's markup, which includes votes on the nominations of Benjamin Flowers, Matthew Schwartz, Mike Hendershot, Rob Jones, Jeffrey Kuntz, and John Marck.

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