The Tap: Thursday, January 19, 2017

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The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

Review of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #49 of The Tap, which was published on January 21, 2017. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal

A New Federal Judicial Vacancy

• The Administrative Office of U.S. Courts reported this week that Judge D. Michael Fisher of the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit intends to take senior status on February 1, 2017, creating a judicial vacancy. Judge Fisher is the 14th judge to announce a decision to either take senior status or retire from the bench during the first year of Donald Trump’s administration, creating vacancies on those courts that will need to be filled by presidential nomination. Those nominations are subject to Senate confirmation. For more information on the status of judicial vacancies during Trump’s first term, read our report.
  • For more, read The Trump administration on federal courts

Inauguration Eve

• Official inauguration festivities kicked off at the Lincoln Memorial with the “Make America Great Again!” concert. Donald Trump delivered remarks, and the celebrity lineup included Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood, 3 Doors Down, the Piano Guys, D.J. RaviDrums, and the Frontmen of Country.

Steven Mnuchin Confirmation Hearing

• Steven Mnuchin was chosen as Trump’s nominee for secretary of the treasury on November 29, 2016. Mnuchin manages his own capital investment firm, Dune Capital Partners, which he started after spending 17 years with Goldman Sachs. He has typically invested in real estate and in Hollywood film production. Mnuchin served as the Trump campaign’s finance director during the 2016 election.
  • He appeared before the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) is the chair of the committee, and Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.) is the highest-ranking Democrat. The committee has 14 Republicans and 12 Democrats. Read more here.

Rick Perry Confirmation Hearing

• Rick Perry was chosen as Trump’s nominee for secretary of energy on December 13, 2016. Perry has a long history in Texas politics, and energy production has been an important part of his political identity. He served as governor from 2000 to 2015. Before that, he was the lieutenant governor from 1998 to 2000 under Gov. George W. Bush (R). He was the Texas agriculture commissioner from 1990 to 1998 and held a seat in the Texas House of Representatives from 1984 to 1990. As the governor of Texas, Perry was in charge of the top energy-producing state in the country, and during his tenure—the longest in the state’s history— oil and gas production in Texas increased 260 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
  • He appeared before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources yesterday. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.) is the committee chair, and Sen. Maria Cantwell (Wash.) is the highest-ranking Democrat. The committee has 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats. Read more here.

State

SCOTUS Weighs In On N.C. Special Elections

• A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court was expected on whether the special legislative elections scheduled for 2017 in North Carolina would ahead as planned, but the court issued no order in the case. The court issued a hold on January 10 pending a full conference of the court. The elections, which were ordered by a three-judge panel in November 2016, would be held under new district lines redrawn because of racial gerrymandering. Some believe that the court is very unlikely to uphold the lower court’s ruling ordering 2017 elections. In that case, redistricting would still be conducted, but it would go into effect for the 2018 elections. Twenty-eight of the legislature’s 170 districts were ordered to be redrawn, but other districts impacted by the redistricting of those 28 would also be required to hold special elections this year under the original ruling. North Carolina is one of 19 states currently under divided government. Republicans hold a 20-seat majority in the Senate and a 28-seat majority in the House.

Preview of the day

The excerpts below were compiled from issue #48 of The Tap, which was published on January 14, 2017. READ THE FULL VERSION HERE.

Federal

Inauguration Eve

• President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence will begin the inauguration events with a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Later that evening, the “Make America Great!” concert will be held at the Lincoln Memorial.

Confirmation Hearings

• One of Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees has a confirmation hearing scheduled for January 19.
  • Position: Secretary of Energy
  • Nominee: Rick Perry
  • Time: 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time
  • Committee: Energy and Natural Resources

State

SCOTUS Weighs In On NC Special Elections

• A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is expected on whether the special legislative elections scheduled for 2017 in North Carolina will go ahead as planned. The court issued a hold on January 10 pending a full conference of the court. The elections, which were ordered by a three-judge panel in November 2016, would be held under new district lines redrawn because of racial gerrymandering. Some believe that the court is very unlikely to uphold the lower court’s ruling ordering 2017 elections. In that case, redistricting would still be conducted, but would go into effect for the 2018 elections. Twenty-eight of the legislature’s 170 districts were ordered to be redrawn, but other districts impacted by the redistricting of those 28 would also be required to hold special elections this year under the original ruling. North Carolina is one of 19 states currently under divided government. Republicans hold a 20-seat majority in the Senate and a 28-seat majority in the House.