Senate Resumes Judges Push, Confirms Seventh Circuit Nominee (1)

John Z. Lee easily won bipartisan confirmation on Wednesday as the first Asian-American judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit as Senate Democrats begin a pre-election push to advance judicial nominees.

Lee, who was confirmed 50-44 to the Chicago-based court that handles appeals from Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, moves up from the federal trial bench where he was appointed by Barack Obama. The Harvard Law graduate is also a former firm lawyer and trial attorney with the Justice Department’s environment division.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said before the Lee vote that the chamber would continue ...