Anchorage attorney Joshua Kindred is a step closer to becoming a federal District Court judge.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Kindred’s nomination Thursday.
Several of the committee’s Democrats, including Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said it’s not right for senators to consider confirming new judges now that the articles of impeachment against the president have moved to the Senate.
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“The Senate should not be advancing any judicial nominees at a time when this body is contemplating removing from office the man who nominates them,” Sen. Harris said.
The vote on Kindred fell along party lines. The next step is a vote by the full Senate, but that may have to wait until after senators decide the case against President Trump.
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Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.