Trump Appeals Court Nominee Faces Senate Questions Over Delaware Ties, Executive Power

President Donald Trump has nominated Jennifer Mascott for a federal appeals court seat in Delaware, prompting scrutiny from Democratic senators who questioned her lack of ties to the state's legal community, as Mascott has never practiced in Delaware courts and owns only a beach house there. Despite this, Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee, including Chairman Chuck Grassley, supported Mascott, citing her prior involvement in Supreme Court nominee testimonies and her role in the White House Counsel's Office. Mascott's judicial philosophy also drew attention due to her public statements advocating for expanding presidential authority over independent agencies by overturning longstanding Supreme Court precedent. Concurrently, Trump nominated two Mississippi Supreme Court justices, Robert Chamberlin and James Maxwell, for federal judgeships, where they were questioned about their judicial records and views on landmark Supreme Court rulings related to civil rights and sentencing. Both nominees affirmed their support for key precedents like Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia, though some Democratic senators pressed for further clarification on other rulings. These nominations illustrate the ongoing judicial appointments under President Trump, reflecting partisan tensions over qualifications and judicial philosophy.