Senior Trump DOJ Pick Backs Push to Curb National Injunctions

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Division offered support for congressional action to curb the judiciary’s power to issue nationwide injunctions against executive branch actions.

During a Wednesday confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Brett Shumate argued that lower court judges don’t have authority under the Constitution to issue such sweeping rulings. Congress can act on the issue, he said in response to a question from panel chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

“Congress has certainly created courts, eliminated courts, written jurisdiction, limited jurisdiction, created special review procedures for review of agency action,” Shumate said. “So certainly ...