
It’s Monday…
Happy Christmas Eve Eve…
President Biden’s public schedule for 12/23/2024:
11:00 AM In-Town Pool Call Time The White House Closed Press |
11:00 AM The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing The White House Closed Press |
Christmas Time Tweets
From Friday…
Tune in as the First Lady and I make a holiday visit to patients and families at Children’s National Hospital. https://t.co/jKU7XnBwLW
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 20, 2024
The YouTube is 6 minutes and 56 seconds long; Their remarks haven’t been posted yet.
For what it’s worth: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden reads a story to the children. President Biden plays with an adorable toddler while the First Lady reads the story. At the end, the coordinator of the event expresses her thanks to President Biden for attending the event all four years he was in office.
Visiting the kids at Children's National Hospital to spread holiday cheer with a good book has become one of our favorite holiday traditions.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 21, 2024
This year's visit was no different. pic.twitter.com/4CSllzcY1z
From Saturday…
Wishing your home peace and light this holiday season. pic.twitter.com/EkfGMvp3GB
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 21, 2024
The video clip is 20 seconds long. It just gives a look at the White House Christmas decorations.
From Sunday…
During this season of reflection, I'm filled with gratitude for the service members and veterans I’ve met along the way – here at the White House and across America.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 22, 2024
It's been the honor of my life to lead you, serve you, care for you, and defend you. pic.twitter.com/sIDn1jjqGO
Federal Judges Confirmed Tweet
From Saturday…
The Senate has confirmed the 235th federal judge during my presidency, the largest number of confirmations in a term in nearly 50 years.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 21, 2024
Judges shape our lives.
I'm proud of those who heeded the call to serve, and of the legacy I'll leave with the men and women I've appointed. pic.twitter.com/S3bJYkB4vd
From the White House…
12/20/2024:
Statement from President Joe Biden on Securing 235 Judicial Confirmations
Today, we reached a major milestone in our efforts to protect our Nation’s freedoms: the United States Senate confirmed the 235th federal judge during my presidency – marking the largest number of confirmations in a single term since the 1980s. This includes one Supreme Court Justice, 45 Circuit Court Judges, 187 District Court Judges, and two judges on the Court of International Trade.
These men and women represent the best of America. They are all highly qualified. And they have had distinguished legal, judicial, and academic careers.
When I ran for President, I promised to build a bench that looks like America and reflects the promise of our nation. And I’m proud I kept my commitment to bolstering confidence in judicial decision-making and outcomes.
The 235 confirmed judges include a record number of judges with backgrounds and experiences that have long been overlooked: advocates for civil rights, workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, and more. I appointed the first former public defenders to sit on the Seventh and First Circuits. I have also put forth men and women who have been prosecutors and plaintiffs’ attorneys.
In addition, I appointed the most demographically diverse slate of judicial nominees ever. This includes: the first Black woman and public defender on the United States Supreme Court, and appointing more Black women to the Courts of Appeals than all previous administrations combined. I also appointed the first Hispanic-American judge to serve on the D.C. Circuit, and the first openly LGBTQ woman on any federal court of appeals; the first AANHPI judge on the Third and Seventh Circuits; the first Muslim-American judge to ever serve as a life-tenured judge; and the first Native Hawaiian woman to ever serve as a life-tenured judge.
And no matter who they are or where they come from, all of these appointees are supremely qualified to serve in the role of Judge, and remain committed to the rule of law and the Constitution.
We reached this milestone thanks to bipartisan support in the Senate, and as a result of the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin.
Judges matter. They shape the everyday lives of Americans, preserving our freedoms and defending our liberties. They hear cases and issue rulings on whether Americans can cast their ballots, whether workers can unionize and make a living wage for their families, and whether children can breathe clean air and drink clean water.
I am proud of the legacy I will leave with our Nation’s judges. And I am proud of those who have stepped forward and heeded the call to serve.
Statement from President Joe Biden on Securing 235 Judicial Confirmations. 12/20/2024.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Secures Confirmation of 235th Federal Judge
Today, President Biden’s 235th life-tenured federal judicial nominee was confirmed. This marks the largest number of confirmations in a single term since the Carter administration. These highly qualified men and women—all committed to the rule of law and the Constitution—will serve the federal Judiciary for decades to come.
Dating back to his time leading the Senate Judiciary Committee, President Biden has made the confirmation of federal judges a top priority. During his four years in office, President Biden has transformed the federal bench and appointed over a quarter of all active judges, and helped to ensure that the Judiciary looks like the communities it serves.
The 235 confirmations include:
FACT SHEET: President Biden Secures Confirmation of 235th Federal Judge. 12/20/2024.
- One to the United States Supreme Court
- 45 to the nation’s courts of appeals
- 187 to the nation’s district courts
- Two to the United States Court of International Trade
President Biden has worked closely with Senators from both sides of the aisle to fill vacancies at the circuit and district level. He has achieved this milestone despite significant structural disadvantages, including the longest 50-50 Senate in history.
Importantly, President Biden has followed through on one of his earliest campaign promises—to put forward highly-qualified judges from underrepresented professional backgrounds and to instill confidence in the Judiciary by ensuring that federal judges reflect the nation as a whole.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Secures Confirmation of 235th Federal Judge. 12/20/2024.
Professional Diversity
No President has done more to bring professional and experiential diversity to the federal bench than President Biden.
Not only did President Biden appoint the first former public defender to the United States Supreme Court, but he broke records across the board on professional diversity—appointing more than 45 public defenders, more than 25 civil rights lawyers, and at least 10 individuals who have represented workers.
President Biden is also proud to have put forward nominees who come from private legal practice, prosecutors’ offices, and a host of other legal backgrounds, including immigration law, municipal law, and plaintiff-side law. As a lifelong advocate for our men and women in uniform, veterans, and their families, President Biden is proud to have put forward judicial nominees who have served on active duty or in the reserves, in both legal and non-legal roles.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Secures Confirmation of 235th Federal Judge. 12/20/2024.
Demographic Diversity
President Biden has set records when it comes to the demographic diversity of his appointees. In doing so, he has helped to ensure that the Judiciary looks like the communities it serves—vital to instilling confidence in both judicial decision-making and outcomes—while refusing to sacrifice on ability or qualifications.
The 235 confirmations include:
FACT SHEET: President Biden Secures Confirmation of 235th Federal Judge. 12/20/2024.
- The first Black woman ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court.
- A record number of women, Black, Latino, AANHPI, Native American, Muslim-American, and LGBTQ judges.
- More Black women appointed to the circuit courts than every other presidential administration combined.
Impact
Judges have an enormous impact on the everyday lives of Americans.
These men and women have the power to uphold basic rights or to roll them back. They hear cases that decide whether women have the freedom to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions; whether Americans have the freedom to cast their ballots; whether workers have the freedom to unionize and make a living wage for their families; and whether children have the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water.
Judges are also crucial to protecting against overreach and unconstitutional action by the Executive and Legislative Branches.
President Biden is proud of his record of appointments and grateful to the Senate for its partnership in reaching this historic achievement.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Secures Confirmation of 235th Federal Judge. 12/20/2024.
Federal Death Row Commutations Tweet
From Monday…
I am commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 23, 2024
This action is consistent with my Administration's moratorium on federal executions, except for cases involving terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. pic.twitter.com/Obxfytxxbb
From the White House…
12/23/2024:
Statement from President Joe Biden on Federal Death Row Commutations
I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system.
Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole. These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss.
But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.
Statement from President Joe Biden on Federal Death Row Commutations. 12/23/2024.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death Row
Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Those individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.
President Biden has dedicated his career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. He believes that America must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level, except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder – which is why today’s actions apply to all but those cases. When President Biden came into office, his Administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next Administration from carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice.
This historic clemency action builds on the President’s record of criminal justice reform. The President has issued more commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms. Earlier this month, the President announced clemency for approximately 1,500 Americans – the most ever in a single day – who have shown successful rehabilitation and a commitment to making communities safer. This included sentence commutations for nearly 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities, as well as 39 pardons for individuals who were convicted of non-violent crimes. President Biden is also the first President ever to issue categorical pardons to individuals convicted of simple use and possession of marijuana, and to former LGBTQI+ service members convicted of private conduct because of their sexual orientation.
The President’s criminal justice record has transformed individual lives and positively impacted communities, especially historically marginalized communities. In the coming weeks, the President will take additional steps to provide meaningful second chances and continue to review additional pardons and commutations.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death Row. 12/23/2024.
I omitted the names listed in chart form; it basically wouldn’t copy and paste over without jacking up all formatting…
This is an open thread