Judicial nominee in more hot water
Brett Talley, the young lawyer nominated by President Donald Trump for a lifetime federal judgeship in Alabama, was asked by a Senate committee to disclose family members who are likely to present potential conflicts of interest if he is confirmed.
In response, Talley said he would evaluate “real or potential conflict, or relationships that could give rise to appearance of conflict” and recuse himself from cases if necessary, according to a 30-page Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.
He did not, however, identify any family members — including his wife, who is one of Trump’s attorneys. Annie Donaldson is White House Counsel Donald McGahn’s chief of staff.
Talley could not be immediately reached for comment, and the White House did not respond to questions.
Talley first attracted controversy for his limited experience in practicing law and the level of partisanship he had shown in the past. But the Judiciary Committee, on which Republicans outnumber Democrats, approved Talley’s nomination last week on a party-line vote. His nomination is now headed to the Senate for a full confirmation vote.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking Democrat on the committee, said the Senate should not confirm Talley in light of the new revelation.
Feinstein and other Democrats on the committee have opposed Talley’s nomination, citing his lack of trial experience and political comments he previously made on social media, on his political blog and in several opinion pieces he had written for CNN. The American Bar Association, which vets federal judicial nominees, has rated Talley as “not qualified.”
Talley, a 36-year-old lawyer from Alabama who also writes horror stories on the side, has practiced law for only three years and has yet to try a case.