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Judge Ed Artau was part of a panel that ruled last month that Trump's lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board could progress, reports said. The case challenged protections for journalists and called for overturning a major Supreme Court decision that limits lawsuits from public officials against the media.
Just weeks after issuing his opinion in the case, Artau met with Sen. Rick Scott's staff and then interviewed with the White House. Soon after, Trump nominated him to serve as a judge for the US Southern District of Florida, Politico reported.
The Georgetown University-educated judge has a lengthy history on the bench with several prestigious appointments. However, some legal experts worry about the optics and implications for his nomination.
“The idea that you would have a judge thinking you know, it’s a good idea to go on the warpath in support of the President, is really a new development,” said Charles Geyh, a law professor at Indiana University, told the outlet.
Critics had already questioned Artau’s impartiality when the nomination was first announced. But the new details about how close the meetings and ruling were in time are raising fresh alarms, Politico said.
However, the Trump administration said Artau’s nomination is based on his long record of public service.
“The standards of the President’s judicial nominations are simple: restoring law and order, ending the weaponization of the judicial branch, and interpreting the Constitution as written,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told Politico. “Ed Artau has demonstrated these principles throughout his esteemed career and will continue to do so.”
Trump himself praised Artau on Truth Social, saying: “Ed has a GREAT track record of restoring LAW AND ORDER and, most importantly, Common Sense (which is, sadly, rare these days!). I know Ed will do a GREAT job for the State of Florida, and our Nation.”
If confirmed, Artau would serve on the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, a seat that holds sway over important federal cases. His nomination is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate.
Artau did not respond to requests for comment from Politico.
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