Trump's pick for federal court under fire for calling Obamacare ruling 'indefensible'

[Judi Lynn]

Justin Walker, 37, a protege of Mitch McConnell nominated to second-highest court, faces Senate confirmation hearing

Associated Press

Wed 6 May 2020 15.22 EDTFirst published on Wed 6 May 2020 11.44 EDT

A federal judge nominated to the nation’s second-most powerful court said on Wednesday that he was writing as an academic and commentator when he criticized as “indefensible” a supreme court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act.

Justin Walker, a 37-year-old protege of the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, and the supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, said he would have an open mind on the Obama-era health care law if it came before him as a district or appeals court judge.

At a hearing on his nomination by Donald Trump to a seat on the US court of appeals for the District of Columbia circuit, Walker declined a request by Senate Democrats to recuse himself on matters related to the healthcare law if he is confirmed.

Walker said he was “an academic and a citizen engaged in the public sphere” when he wrote a 2018 article calling Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion upholding the healthcare law, known as Obamacare, “indefensible” and “catastrophic”. Walker said he would be bound by the ruling as precedent and would consider any challenge to it with an open mind.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/06/justin-walker-judge-confirmed-too-inexperienced

[leftieNanner]

1. "he would have an open mind"

Meaning he will be as partisan as Roberts, Thomas, Gorsuch, Alito, and Beer Boy on SCOTUS. This is total bullshit and he should NOT be confirmed under any circumstances. At the very least, not until the court has looked into Moscow Mitch's involvement in this fiasco.

[LastDemocratInSC]

2. He's saying he will just "call balls and strikes" the way Roberts does.

No he won't.

He will go in knowing that he will become a right wing hero, and probably rewarded with riches, if he throws the games the right way.