Today President Obama will name individuals to fill the three vacancies on the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the most important of the Circuit Courts. Cornelia Pillard, Patricia Ann Millett, and Robert Wilkins will join the President in the Rose Garden for the announcement. The DC Circuit handles cases having broad national impacts, such as environmental law and health care reform. It's also been a launching pad to the Supreme Court, so they are very significant nominees.
Already, Senate Rethuglicans, who have been blocking nearly all of the President's Court nominees, are cynically calling this judicial "trifecta" a case of "court packing." It's expected that the Rethugs will try to once again block the nominees through a filibuster threat, which should prompt the Senate majority to (finally) change the rules regarding filibusters. After nearly five years of pure obstruction, the President deserves an up or down vote on his nominees to important Court positions.
