Donald Trump's latest judgeship nominee was almost nominated by Joe Biden
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he plans to tap Chad Meredith, a former state solicitor general in Kentucky, for a federal judgeship in the state, a move that could face objections from Sen. Rand Paul, who opposed the nomination three years ago.
Meredith was the starring player in a bit of judicial nominations drama in the previous administration, when then-President Joe Biden had agreed to nominate Meredith, who was enthusiastically supported by Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former Senate majority leader.
It was a curious move at the time, because Meredith had a track record of defending Kentucky's anti-abortion laws and the nomination would come in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 Supreme Court decision that eliminated a constitutional right to the procedure.
But Paul indicated to the Biden White House at the time that he would block Meredith's confirmation proceedings from moving forward, so the former president never formally nominated him. Biden's decision to back off Meredith was also a relief to Democrats and abortion rights groups who had been enraged at the prospect of Biden tapping an anti-abortion lawyer for a lifetime judiciary seat.
In a social media post announcing the nomination, Trump called Meredith 'highly experienced and well qualified'. 'Chad is a courageous Patriot who knows what is required to uphold the Rule of Law, and protect our Constitution,' Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday night.
McConnell said in a statement on Wednesday that Trump made an 'outstanding choice' in choosing Meredith, who also served as chief deputy general counsel for former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.
'His demonstrated devotion to the rule of law and the Constitution will serve the people of Kentucky well on the federal bench,' McConnell said. 'I look forward to the Senate confirming his nomination.'
Paul's office did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday night on the nomination. Three years ago, Paul accused McConnell of cutting a 'secret deal' with the White House as a reason why Meredith's nomination never moved forward under Biden.
'Unfortunately, instead of communicating and lining up support for him, Senator McConnell chose to cut a secret deal with the White House that fell apart,' Paul said at the time. Paul never made any substantive objections about Meredith himself. It's unclear whether Paul would hold similar process concerns with Meredith's formal nomination under Trump.
But Paul had effective veto power over a judicial pick in his home state because the Senate continues to honour the so-called blue slip rule, a decades-old custom that says a judicial nominee won't move forward if there is opposition from his or her home-state senator. The Biden White House also deferred to that custom, which is why Biden never ended up nominating Meredith.
Though the rule has been eroded in part, namely for appellate court judges whose seat spans several states, the custom has remained intact for district court nominees who are more closely tied to their home states. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has so far made no indication that he would deviate from that longstanding custom.
Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an adviser at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, criticised Trump's selection of Meredith given his 'disturbing anti-abortion record". 'The nomination of Chad Meredith to a lifetime judgeship should trouble everyone,' Zwarensteyn said.
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Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Justice Varma row: Citing videos, panel flags ‘contradiction' in former private secy's ‘only learnt of burnt notes days later' claim
The three-judge committee probing the discovery of currency notes during a fire at the official residence of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma relied on videos of the incident to punch holes in claims by his then private secretary, Rajinder Singh Karki, that he only learnt of the news 'six to seven days' later and said that the statement 'does not inspire confidence'. The Supreme Court-appointed committee comprising Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice G S Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Justice Anu Sivaraman, judge of the Karnataka High Court, concluded in its report that 'the factum of…Karki having been instructed by Justice Varma to stay at night at the residence is…a matter of record…' and that 'his presence till early morning on 15.03.2025 at the residence of Justice Varma is fully established'. The report, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, said that 'being the senior most employee at the site', Karki had a detailed conversation with Justice Varma at 1.23 am on March 15. This, the report added, 'would be clear from his call details…which has been received from Justice Varma's phone No…It is also come on record that though he had been asked to stay back at the residence, but no instructions were given to him that he could leave in the morning.' The report indicting Justice Verma was formally submitted to then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on May 4, following which it was forwarded to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The report pointed out that the first of these videos, a 67-second one, made by Delhi Police Head Constable Roop Chand, allegedly on the instructions of his superior, Station House Officer Umesh Malik, 'has not been disputed ever by Justice Varma'. A similar video of about 70 seconds was also made by one Head Constable Sunil Kumar. The videos were 'shown to the independent eye witnesses including the fire/police personnel who were at the spot who have vouched for the same. The witness No.6 Manoj Mehlawat, the Station Officer of Delhi Fire Services had also admitted that it is his voice in the… (first) video… wherein he is heard saying 'Mahatama Gandhi me aag lag rahi hai bhai'…The above reference is thus to the currency notes of Rs.500/- denomination having got affected in the fire since the image of Mahatama Gandhi figures on Rs.500/- currency note,' the report added. It added that 'at the end of the (first) video…there is an audio reference to a person calling out the name of 'Rahil' the house staff employee and since the video being shot is at the entrance of the store room, Mr. Karki, has admitted in his examination that it might be his voice. Similarly, when it was put to Rahil (Witness No 35 Mohammad Rahil, CA, Co-terminus, posted at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma) that his name is being called out, he admitted that it was Mr. Karki calling out to him'. The report adds, 'It is thus apparent that both Mr. Karki and Rahil were present in front of the store room and were eye witnesses to the factum of currency having been burnt and present in the store room and their explanation as such that they were kept away from the entrance of the store room by the fire personnel cannot be accepted. Rahil…has also, while being confronted with (the video)….admitted that the store room is the same place where the fire incident took place and there are huge stacks which caught fire.' Relying on the video and calls between him and Justice Varma, the report said, 'Karki's explanation as such that he came to know about the burnt currency in the house for the first time after six to seven days after the fire incident does not inspire confidence as it is his categorical deposition that he had not seen the burnt currency notes though shown in the video…which had been confronted to him.' The report said that regarding his voice in the first video calling out the name of Rahil, Karki had explained that he was not present at the spot but was standing at a distance, in the backyard of the bungalow on the deck. 'However, from the said video and audio, it is apparent that he was very much present in the front of the store room when the videos were being shot by the fireman and the police personnel and the same calling out of the name of Rahil is also reflected in Video…taken by Head Constable Sunil Kumar,' the report stated. It also pointed out the 'contradiction' in Karki's claim that after meeting the Delhi High Court Deputy Registrar Sandeep Kumar Sharma in the evening on March 15, he had not gone anywhere as he had 'household work to do…'. The report said, this is 'in contradiction to the fact that he was present at the site of the store room since it has already come on record that the store room was inspected on 15.03.2025 evening at 9.00 PM by Naresh Chander Garg, Registrar-cum-Secretary to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.' The committee said 'these contradictions from Mr. Karki's statement are, thus, being highlighted to show that his presence at the house, as such, continued throughout the night admittedly and, therefore, his explanation that he was not in any way connected with the cleaning up of the debris from the fire in the store area stands contradicted by the CRPF guards W (witness) -28 Sunil Kumar and W-30 C.G. Rawat, who stated to the contrary.' 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On the alleged removal of the burnt cash from the scene of the fire, the report said, 'A conjunctive reading of the statements of eye witnesses, electronic evidence and the circumstantial evidence, which has come on record, as explained supra and the failure of Justice Varma and his personal staff to explain the omissions, contradictions and embellishment, noticed in their statements, this committee is compelled to hold by way of strong inferential evidence on record that the most trusted personnel of domestic staff i.e. Rahil/Hanuman Parshad Sharma (posted in Justice Varma's residence) and Rajinder Singh Karki, Private Secretary to Justice Varma were instrumental in removing the burnt money/cash from the store room during the wee hours of 15.03.2025 sometime after the firemen/Delhi Police personnel had left the premises.' Ananthakrishnan G. is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express. He has been in the field for over 23 years, kicking off his journalism career as a freelancer in the late nineties with bylines in The Hindu. A graduate in law, he practised in the District judiciary in Kerala for about two years before switching to journalism. His first permanent assignment was with The Press Trust of India in Delhi where he was assigned to cover the lower courts and various commissions of inquiry. He reported from the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India during his first stint with The Indian Express in 2005-2006. Currently, in his second stint with The Indian Express, he reports from the Supreme Court and writes on topics related to law and the administration of justice. Legal reporting is his forte though he has extensive experience in political and community reporting too, having spent a decade as Kerala state correspondent, The Times of India and The Telegraph. He is a stickler for facts and has several impactful stories to his credit. ... Read More
Mint
17 minutes ago
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Rahul Gandhi turns 55 — wishes pour in from Congress leaders, top politicians
In Pics | Rahul Gandhi turns 55 — wishes pour in from Congress leaders, top politicians 9 Photos . Updated: 19 Jun 2025, 03:38 PM IST Share Via On June 19, 2025 Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP and former party president turns 55 today. Wishes poured in for the Congress leader, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav and others. 1/9Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turns 55 today. Hailing from the Gandhi-Nehru family, Rahul is serving his fifth term as Lok Sabha MP. (HT_PRINT) 2/9Born in 1970 to ex-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul is currently serving as a member of the Lok Sabha, representing Rae Bareilly since June 2024. He previously represented the constituency of Wayanad from 2019 to 2024. (Rahul Singh) 3/9One day before Rahul Gandhi's birthday, Congress revealed plans for a large job fair at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium on June 19, stating that more than 20,000 jobless youth have signed up for the event. 4/9Wishes poured in for the Congress leader, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reportedly tweeted for Rahul Gandhi's birthday for the first time in five years. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, 'Birthday greetings to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life.' (PTI screenshot via Sansad TV) 5/9In addition to PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wished Rahul Gandhi on X and wrote, 'Greetings to the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life.' (Rahul Singh) 6/9Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extended birthday greetings to Rahul Gandhi. Kharge wrote, 'Warmest birthday greetings to Shri Rahul Gandhi. What sets you apart is your unequivocal dedication to the Constitution's values and your deep compassion for social, political and economic justice for the millions whose voices often go unheard.'He added, 'Your actions consistently reflect the Congress party's ideology of unity in diversity, harmony, and compassion. As you continue your mission to bring truth to power and support the last person standing, I wish you a long, healthy, and happy life ahead.' (AICC) 7/9Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav shared his wishes for Rahul Gandhi on X. 'Heartfelt birthday greetings to Shri Rahul Gandhi ji and best wishes for a harmonious, inclusive, and accommodating socio-political activism,' he said. (PTI) 8/9While praising Rahul Gandhi on his birthday, Chief Minister of Telanagna Revanth Reddy wrote, 'Happy birthday, to #HopeOfIndia my leader, embodiment of silent strength, true visionary, compassionate & wise, who has people's interests in his heart, and a soldier fighting for the idea of India, an inspiration for all those who truly love India, and above all, one of the finest humans I have ever met, leader of opposition.' he added, 'Shri Rahul Gandhi. May more people of India discover your love for them, may more people understand your true commitment to #India, and to every Indian.'
The Hindu
32 minutes ago
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Bharat Mata row: Kerala Minister walks out of event, Raj Bhavan calls it ‘grave insult' to Governor
Kerala's General Education Minister V. Sivankutty walked out from an official function at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday (June 19, 2025) in protest against the display of an image of Bharat Mata, associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Raj Bhavan, in a statement, later said the Minister's action was 'a gross violation of protocol and a grave insult to the office of the Governor.' Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said there is 'no question of doing away with Bharat Mata.' The latest face-off between Raj Bhavan and Kerala State government comes hardly a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Governor's office should not be used to promote the ideological agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), referring to the display of images linked to the RSS at Raj Bhavan. Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad had skipped the government's Environment Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan over the display of a saffron flag-holding Bharat Matha astride a lion at Raj Bhavan's central hall, where the event was to be held. After leaving the Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides Rajya Puraskar award ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Mr. Sivankutty said in a statement that the Governor should remember that patriotism in India meant upholding Constitutional values, protecting the dignity of every citizen, and preserving the diversity that defines the country. 'It is essential to ensure that Indian nationalism is not founded on a single cultural image, but on the inclusive and democratic vision enshrined in our Constitution. The Governor should clarify whether the Sangh Parivar's Bharat Mata concept recognises the borders of the country. India is not a monolithic entity built around any symbol, form or image. Our republic was born from a conscious decision to assert a pluralistic, federal and secular political identity. Calling the image of a woman carrying a saffron flag as the sole symbol of Indian patriotism ignores this fundamental reality. To suggest that patriotism should be viewed only through a single cultural perspective is not only simplistic, but also undermines the rich history of our freedom struggle,' said Mr. Sivankutty. The statement from Raj Bhavan said the Minister, who is sworn in by the Governor declaring allegiance to the Constitution, has by this public display of misconduct, openly insulted the Governor personally besides the office of the Governor. 'The Minister did not even bother to inform the Governor about his abrupt exit. As per protocol, even anyone amongst the audience, leave alone those sharing the dais with the Governor is barred from leaving until and unless the Governor leaves the venue. The Minister has come with a prepared speech which he chose to read out - a clear indication of his preparedness for an impending showdown. It is a pity that the Education minister of the state admitted to the audience that the portrait of Bharat Mata is not familiar to him. Rajbhavan views today's developments with utmost concern,' said the statement. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said Raj Bhavan 'should not be turned into an RSS centre.' Such incidents are being repeated because the government is not ready to express its protest. The government should mark its protest with the Governor, not with the media, he said. Declaration of war: CPI Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary Binoy Viswam said the Governor's repeated actions akin to an RSS Swayamsevak was 'a declaration of war' on the Constitution and the people of Kerala. The Governor's actions should be based on the Constitution, not Vicharadhara, he added.
