November 13, 2017

In what can only be described as a predictably corrupt turn of events, new information has come to light about the supremely unqualified Brett Talley, Alabama federal court nominee who has only been a lawyer for three years and has never tried a case.

Today the New York Times tells us that Talley "forgot" to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee or the Senate at large about a potential conflicting relationship!

It turns out that his wife is White House Counsel Don McGahn's chief of staff. You know, the very same Don McGahn who approves nominees for the federal bench for Trump's review!

As the Times reports, Talley was asked on his Senate questionaire to identify family members and others who are “likely to present potential conflicts of interest.” He failed to mention his wife, Ann Donaldson, who serves as Don McGahn's chief of staff.

That's a pretty big omission.

Talley's only qualification to be a federal judge appointee under Trump is his willingness to call Hillary Clinton names. Despite Sarah Huckabee Sanders' insistence that a three-year career at low level government jobs qualifies him to be a federal judge, he is not qualified, should not have escaped the Senate Judiciary Committee, and should not be confirmed by the full Senate.

If Senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake mean even a tenth of what they claim about caring about this country, they will block this nomination right now, hopefully alongside Senators Susan Collins and John McCain. Nothing will destroy this country faster than Trump's intentional and rapid undermining of the federal judiciary. Nothing.

It's time to call every Senator and demand they refuse to confirm Talley. His vote may come up as early as today. Senators should block it.

Oh, WAIT. There's more. Talley's wife is a witness in the Mueller investigation too!

Ms. Donaldson has emerged in recent weeks as a witness in the special counsel’s investigation into whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice. She was interviewed by investigators recently about her detailed notes about conversations with Mr. McGahn on topics including the firing of the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey, according to two people briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation with reporters.

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