The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced five of President Joe Biden's federal court nominees, including prosecutor Seth Aframe for the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Some Republican members at Thursday's hearing criticized Aframe, a federal prosecutor in New Hampshire, over what they said were lenient sentencing recommendations he made in two sex crimes. Aframe's supporters have called him "exceptionally qualified" and lauded his "superb skills as a courtroom lawyer."
Aframe did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
The 1st Circuit hears cases from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico.
The committee also advanced four nominations for U.S. district court vacancies in California, Oregon and other states.
The other district court nominations that moved forward were California state judge Eumi Lee for the Northern District of California; U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward Kiel for the District of New Jersey; and Quinnipiac University law professor Sarah Russell for the Connecticut federal court.
Russell faced renewed criticism on Thursday from Republicans over a COVID-era letter she and thousands of others signed urging Democratic Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont to take greater steps to protect incarcerated individuals from the coronavirus. The signatories called for a moratorium on new admissions to jails and prisons.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas called the letter "radical" and he and other conservatives on the judiciary committee said Russell was unfit to serve on the bench.
At her confirmation hearing, Russell had called the letter "overbroad" and said it did not "accurately" reflect her views. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
The Senate has so far confirmed 158 of Biden's federal court nominees. The majority have been women and people of color, a reflection of Biden's pledge to boost diversity on the federal bench.
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed federal prosecutors Micah Smith to serve on the U.S. district court in Hawaii, and Jamel Semper for the New Jersey federal bench.
The full Senate on Thursday was expected to vote on the nomination of Hawaii judge Shanlyn Park to serve on the U.S. district court in the state.
The Senate was also set to take a procedural vote on Thursday afternoon that would move 5th Circuit nominee Irma Ramirez a step closer to a confirmation vote. Ramirez, a U.S. magistrate judge in Dallas federal court, would be the circuit court's first Latina judge.
Read more:
US Senate confirms two Biden judicial nominees in New York, Minnesota
Biden secures confirmation for California, Michigan trial judges
Biden names new nominee for 1st Circuit after earlier pick withdrew
Senate Republicans question Oregon judicial nominee's support for diversity
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