Judiciary
8th Circuit judicial nominee grilled by senators on refusing to hire Columbia law clerks
U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor of the District of North Dakota met intense questioning by U.S. senators Wednesday about his decision to sign a 2024 letter refusing to hire law clerks from Columbia University. (Photo by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, PD US Congress, via Wikimedia Commons)
A federal judicial nominee of President Donald Trump for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at St. Louis met intense questioning by U.S. senators Wednesday about his decision to sign a 2024 letter refusing to hire law clerks from Columbia University based on the school’s handling of pro-Palestine protests.
U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor of the District of North Dakota, a judge on the court since 2020, faced questions from U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, and U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, who contrasted Traynor’s signing that letter and with his refusal earlier in his hearing to say the U.S. Capitol was attacked on Jan. 6, 2021, by Trump’s supporters.
Law clerk hiring does not involve a case or a controversy, Traynor responded.
“As a sitting judge, I have the right to decide who works for me as a law clerk,” Traynor said. “When this matter was reviewed by the 8th Circuit and other courts around the country, they concluded that judges do not surrender their First Amendment rights when they become judges.”
If confirmed, Traynor would fill 8th Circuit Judge Ralph Erickson’s seat. Erickson was appointed to the 8th Circuit by Trump in 2017.
Law.com has the story.
See also:
Misconduct complaint tossed against federal judges who pledged not to hire clerks from Columbia
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