Dear John,

Trump has already filled the Department of Justice with unqualified people that lack the independence from the president necessary to serve the people, weakening our system of checks and balances. Soon, Trump will move to further erode democracy by appointing loyalist federal judges who will favor him and his extremist agenda. Here’s what you need to know:

* Trump’s first term: During his first term, Trump appointed [[link removed]] judges that now represent 28 percent of the federal judiciary. Notably, he appointed three of the nine Supreme Court justices and 30 percent of judges on the Courts of Appeals that sit just below the Supreme Court. These judicial seats have lifetime appointments and will make decisions that impact our lives for years to come.
* The impact: The federal judiciary will decide [[link removed]] if medication abortion remains available, if patients can travel across state lines to obtain abortions, if trans people will have access to gender-affirming health care, whether children will be able to learn accurate history [[link removed]] without censorship, as well as the countless cases being brought against the Trump administration right now.
* Judges are supposed to provide a check on presidential power: Judges from [[link removed]] the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama, Biden, AND first Trump administration have delayed or outright blocked Trump’s illegal executive orders, including firings of federal employees, dismantling government agencies, ending birthright citizenship, defunding health research, banning trans people from serving in the military, attacking law firms and universities, and more.
* Federal judges are appointed for life: These recent decisions show that a judge’s impact extends well beyond any individual presidency. The judicial system does not work for one person: when presidents choose qualified individuals with a strong commitment to equal justice, we generally get court decisions that advance justice [[link removed]] for all of us. On the other hand, extremist judges who put loyalty to Trump before the law will have long-lasting negative consequences on our rights.

In the coming weeks and months, Trump will begin to fill the current 60 vacancies in the federal judiciary. But he is not a king nor a dictator, and the Senate has the ultimate decision on whether to confirm his nominees. The federal judiciary will impact each of us for the rest of our lives—and so it requires our attention and action. Together, we have the power to push back on extremism by protecting the courts.

In solidarity,

Alison Gill
she/her/hers
Director of Nominations & Democracy
National Women's Law Center
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