President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees with experience as federal public defenders are pleasing progressives seeking more professional diversity while providing fodder for Republicans questioning whether they’re prepared to handle complex civil litigation.
Tension was most evident when Second Circuit nominee and public defender Eunice Lee, admitted she didn’t know what entitled a party to a civil jury trial during a series of questions about civil procedure from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) at her June 9 confirmation hearing.
Republicans say they’re concerned by the knowledge gaps as well as about whether progressives want public defenders because they might ...