• MORE Distracting Crap from Republicans. 205 of Bush's 215 Judges have been Approved
  

The looming battle over President Bush's nominees to the U.S. appeals courts might derail the Senate, but it probably won't make much difference in the federal courts. That's because Republican appointees already dominate them. Ninety-four of the 162 active judges now on the U.S. Court of Appeals were chosen by Republican presidents. On 10 of the 13 circuit courts, Republican appointees have a clear majority. And, since 1976, at least seven of the nine seats on the U.S. Supreme Court have been filled by Republican appointees. Even if Bush wins approval for the dozen disputed nominees who have been blocked by Senate Democrats, only one circuit would change its ideological balance -- hardly a seismic shift. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, now evenly divided, would become 10-6 Republican. Though it remains a staple of conservative rhetoric that the courts are "out of control" and driven by "liberal activists," the GOP's control of the White House for 24 of the last 36 years has given Republicans -- if not conservatives -- a firm grip on the federal judiciary.  The imminent fight over appeals court nominees is widely considered a rehearsal for this summer, when the ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, 80, is expected to retire. He could be the first of several high court justices to depart during Bush's second term. [more] and [more]

A Republican bench
Of the 162 active judges on the U.S. court of appeals, 94 of them, or 58%, are Republican appointees. There are 12 nominees by President Bush awaiting confirmation, all of whom were nominated earlier but blocked in the Senate. A breakdown of the circuit courts and their members:

                                Democratic            Republican            Bush
Circuit                    appointees            appointees            nominees
D.C.                         4                                5                                3
1st                           2                               4   
2nd                          7                               6   
3rd                           6                               7   
4th                           4                               9                                2
5th                           4                               11                              1
6th                           6                               6                                4
7th                           3                               8   
8th                           2                               9   
9th                           16                             8                                1
10th                         5                               7   
11th                         5                               7                                1
Federal                    4                               8

Who appointed current judges

Nixon: 1

Ford: 1

Carter: 9

Reagan: 29

G.H.W. Bush: 29

Clinton: 59

G.W. Bush: 34

Total: 162 [more]

• Seven of the nine Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican presidents.
  
• Majorities of judges on 10 of the nation's 13 federal appeals courts were appointed by Republican presidents.
  
• George W. Bush has sent 215 judicial nominations to the Senate; 205 have been confirmed, including 41 of 51 nominated for the appeals courts. [more]
  
• Judiciary Committee approves nominee. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 14-4 to advance Utah lawyer Thomas Griffith's nomination for a seat on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia for approval. It was not immediately known when the Senate will consider the nomination. Bush has had 205 district and appellate court judges confirmed while in the White House - Democrats have blocked only 10 judges from confirmation. Griffith replaced one of the 10 blocked nominees. [more]
• President Clinton rebuked Katie Couric for repeating Republican claim of Democratic "obstructionism" of judicial nominees [more]