Despite his boasts to the contrary, Donald Trump still hasn’t been able to deliver on some of his biggest campaign promises: His travel ban has run into roadblock after roadblock, his Obamacare repeal was a bust, and—how’s that Mexican border wall going, again? There is, however, one area where Trump is accomplishing a lot, and it’s driving Samantha Bee to drink. Full Frontal dedicated a segment on Wednesday night to a branch of government where Trump’s impact will be seen long after his presidency ends: the federal courts.
With more than 120 vacancies in the federal judiciary, Trump has an opportunity to shape the entire branch by appointing as many conservative judges as he can—which, as long as Republicans hold the majority in Congress, will be many. No wonder Bee needed a shot (or two or three) to get through the segment. “This is the prize for which the GOP is willing to sacrifice its honor, its principles, and its underwear comfort,” said Bee. “A conservative judiciary for decades to come.”
So far, Trump’s nominees are far-right, overwhelmingly white, and young, meaning they’ll likely hold their lifetime appointments for a very long time. Some of them are also homophobes and conspiracy theorists, leading even Republicans to appear fed up with appointees like John Bush and Damien Schiff during confirmation hearings. Though not fed up enough to actually block their appointments, of course. “Believe it or not, confirming judges with a bigoted history used to be something both parties could agree was bad. In 1986, two Republicans on the judiciary committee voted to block the racist nominee of a better, more popular president than Trump,” pointed out Bee. “To which I say, ‘Well done,’ and to which our current Senate says, ‘Psych.’”
