Trump judicial nominee can't answer basic questions

[L. Coyote]

Loyalty to the Supreme Leader trumps country, rule of law, and justice.

Dec 15, 2017
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questions Matthew Spencer Petersen, President Trump's nominee for district court judge, about his lack of experience trying cases in court.

Link to tweet

Trump’s Judge Pick Denied

Dec 14, 2017
A potential sign of Trump’s political power eroding in the wake of Alabama loss, his picks for federal bench struck down.

[Glorfindel]

1. K&R n/t

[trusty elf]

2. absolutely appalling

[Docreed2003]

3. Youd think that would be embarrassing...

I couldn’t imagine being so unqualified for a position and sit there and try to justify my appointment...that’s ridiculous. Pretty sure I’ve got as many qualifications to be a judge as that dude does!

[olegramps]

5. You can't embarass my scumbag Republilcan. They devoid a any virtues.

[pazzyanne]

4. Unqualified appointees being called out

makes me feel hopeful that sanity and truth may once again become part of the nomination process in filling government vacancies. We have had enough of the unqualified trying to run our government!

[rsdsharp]

6. Trump has two, possibly three, qualification to be Federal judge.

1. The nominee is conservative. Preferably far right.
2. The nominee is young and can serve 30-40 years.
3. Ideally, the nominee is personally loyal to Trump.

Whether they've ever drafted or argued a motion, taken a deposition, tried a case, argued an appeal, have looked at the Federal Rules at anytime within the last 15 years, or ever even set foot in a courtroom is irrelevant to Donnie Dumbfuck.

[Fred Sanders]

11. Excellent list!

[LiberalLovinLug]

17. "Donnie Dumbfuck"

One of the best names I've heard. And one of the most accurate.

[DFW]

7. Trump had obvioisly never heard of this clown.

Bannon must still be searching out the worst names he can come up with and is sending them to Trump z
to get them confirmed as fast as he can. Stealth erosion of our judicial system.

[marble falls]

8. He certainly is more than qualified ....

to run out a five minute clock without directly answering yes or no questions.

If he has any shame whatsoever he will remove himself from consideration. Its not like Kennedy is a liberal or a Democrat with an "agenda".

I hope Rachel talks about this on her show tonight.

[brush]

9. Yep, he's got the bullshit part down.

[Fred Sanders]

10. TV hosts are getting it wrong and providing an opening for the RW. Trial experience is NOT

is not that big a deal for the appointment of judges. For trial courts it may be more important but not for appellate courts who do no trials and are more intellectual. Often professors of law or seasoned commercial lawyers are appointed as all kind of skills are needed on appellate courts, including just having the experience and wisdom of living a longer life.

But these two clowns are barely out of law school and have little experience nice in law or life.
Picked by the Federalist Society because they were young foaming at the mouth evangelical quality followers. We should all be afraid of these fascists and keep an eye on them.

PS-is the clueless headed one actually getting a floor vote?!

Where is the corporate media big 3 on this?

[dpibel]

15. District courts are trial courts

This guy is up for district court, not court of appeals. So he'd be running trials, and experience matters.

[Fred Sanders]

16. Did not say trial experience does not matter, but it is not the only quality necessay or

disqualifing alone.

[treestar]

33. I would think it would be preferable because of experience

with the case law that deals with laws of evidence and procedure, but not strictly necessary, since as judge he could read the briefs and learn that law as well an anyone else could learn another area within the field. And you get the law from the lawyers who are arguing the point.

[mobeau69]

12. Do you know what not qualified means? Do you know what a waste of time is?

He's a joke of a nominee nominated by a joke of an administration. This is painful to watch.

FDT

[BobTheSubgenius]

13. Perhaps it's the long game, a strategy of attrition.

Maybe "they" think they have all kinds of time to get this done, and they are just trying to wear the committee down with awful candidates. Their plan could be that, in the near future, a law degree and a promise that the candidate has never flung their own feces around a courtroom will be Good Enough.

[NurseJackie]

14. Reminds me of an 8th-grader who hasn't read the book he's giving a report on.

He's relied on Cliff's Notes all his life, and bullshits his way through everything.

[Cattledog]

18. Un-Freakin-believable

[HopeAgain]

19. Motion in Limine?

I have never filed a Motion in Limine. I am not a litigator. But Jesus Christ, I know what one is from going to law school over 30 years ago. That is about as basic as it gets.

I guess I am qualified to receive a judicial appointment from Trump. Where do I apply??

[Cheviteau]

20. The Kremlin

That would be the 2nd door on the right as you enter. Tell'em Vlad sent you.

[keithbvadu2]

25. i had to look it up... Didn't have a clue... Never been to law school.

Can I be a judge?

[HopeAgain]

30. You looked it up?

Then your overqualified.

[Cryptoad]

21. U mean Iam suppose to know somethang abt teh Law??????

[L. Coyote]

22. Payback for HAVA, et.al.

Petersen was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President George W. Bush on June 12, 2008, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on June 24, 2008. He served as Chairman for 2010 and 2016.

From 2005 until his appointment to the FEC, Petersen served as Republican chief counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Prior, Petersen served as counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration. During his tenure, Petersen was involved in the crafting of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) and the House–Senate negotiations that culminated in HAVA's passage. From 1999 to 2002, Petersen practiced election and campaign finance law at Wiley Rein LLP in Washington, D.C.

wiki

[weydowner]

23. Why Mr Petersen? Why today?

From what I see, dozens and dozens of members of this pathetic administration have about the same knowledge of their departments or specialities. (ie none). It makes me wonder how this particular idiot has been made the Red Meat of the Day.

To just think of 2 names - Betsy DeVos and Ben Carson - they were just as ignorant and unqualified as this character, sharing with him that repugnant arrogance, yet they seemed to sail through their questioning. Doubtless there are dozens more of these examples.

If Trump had had a 'good week', the news would have been different, and Queen Omaroso would have been strutting along the Corridors of Power instead of sitting on the outside,plotting her new book.

Bread and Circuses.

[forgotmylogin]

37. This reminds me of Kate McKinnon's impression of DeVos...in front of the press briefing

"I know...there should be school. I believe...it should have...walls. And...roof..."

[TomSlick]

24. In the name of Learned Hand (Google it),

I would expect any first year law student to be able to answer these questions.

A district judge is expected to preside over trials with competent lawyers. There will necessarily be complex legal issues with both lawyers completely convinced they are correct. This poor guy will not have a clue. Other than it's a life time gig, he really shouldn't want the job.

It occurs to me that there is a world of very conservative lawyers who are perfectly competent. There are bound to be several in every federal court district in America. Why is Trump nominating people who will necessarily embarrass themselves? If I was the President and my party controlled the Senate, I would nominate liberal lawyers who would not embarrass themselves and me at a confirmation hearing and - more importantly - could be competent and effective judges.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. This numpty is being considered for the trial court for the District of Columbia.

This is where Manafort and others involved in the Russia investigation will be tried.

I was wondering why such a clearly unqualified person was nominated for the position, but it all makes sense now.

[L. Coyote]

28. OMG, you may be on to something. FEC guy after hacked election becomes judge of hackers?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

29. Maybe that's paranoid. But the question these days isn't,

are you too paranoid; it's, are you paranoid enough?

[Doreen]

27. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb!!!!!

[Marcuse]

31. These shysters should apply to the White House Office of Counsel

No need for Senate confirmation.

[radhika]

32. I love that he'll never be able to escape this clip...

Day in, day out, going viral, international. He didn't even try to bone up by skimming Law School for Dummies. It will follow him to his grave. His heirs will see where their DNA came from.

If worse comes to worse for America in the Trump debacle, he'll be a textbook case for the collapse. If we turn things around, he can compete with so many other Trumpsters for the position of Rock Bottom.

[treestar]

34. IMO he could re-learn all these things (from the bar exam, which

is the likely last time he knew more about them) and the lawyers would brief him on all of that. All judges have to be able to adapt to new areas, especially in civil courts, where the case could be about anything. IMO the questioner believes that trial lawyers are a better fit since they have already been in court dealing with evidence and procedure law.

[SummerSnow]

35. they are all loyal...

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[Rainbow Droid]

36. Read Ken White's analysis if you tend to not be a kneejerk/partisan

And don't flame me until you've read it all...

https://www.popehat.com/2017/12/15/i-have-almost-nothing-bad-to-say-about-matthew-spencer-petersen/

I don't agree with him about everything, but I do on this particular subject.