Federal Judicial Appointments in Limbo as Senate Delays Confirmations
In a developing trend across the United States, interim appointees continue to manage federal judicial districts amid delays in Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees. The Eastern District of Wisconsin sees a similar situation, where U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has made a strategic adjustment in leadership.
Brad Schimel, initially appointed for a 120-day term as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, will now assume the role of first assistant U.S. attorney in Milwaukee. This decision comes after federal judges of the district chose not to extend his interim term, which was due to conclude this week. The announcement was made on March 10, and confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s office on Wednesday.
Schimel expressed his commitment to the district, stating, “I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the people of the Eastern District of Wisconsin. I will continue to work tirelessly to make the entire district safer and stronger.”
The delay in Senate confirmations has resulted in interim, acting, or first assistant U.S. attorneys administering many of the nation’s 94 federal judicial districts. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s website, only 30 districts currently have a presidentially nominated and Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney.
Schimel is among the first assistants overseeing U.S. attorney’s offices in several states, including California, New Mexico, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington state.
A veteran in law and politics, Schimel earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and served as Waukesha County district attorney before his election as Wisconsin attorney general in 2014. Although he lost re-election in 2018 to Democrat Josh Kaul, he was later appointed as a judge in Waukesha County by then-Governor Scott Walker.
Schimel recently vied for a seat on the state Supreme Court, a race that was closely watched due to its potential impact on the court’s ideological balance. Despite endorsements from President Trump and financial backing from Elon Musk, Schimel was defeated by liberal candidate Susan Crawford.
His appointment has sparked political debate, with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, opposing Schimel’s continued service as interim U.S. attorney. She criticized him as a partisan figure, emphasizing the importance of appointing someone committed to the rule of law over loyalty to the President. In contrast, Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson described the judges’ decision not to extend Schimel’s interim tenure as “bizarre” and advocated for Schimel’s ongoing leadership in Milwaukee.
