Hearings to examine the nominations of Rebecca L. Taibleson, of Wisconsin, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, Lindsey Ann Freeman, and David A. Bragdon, both to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, Matthew E. Orso, and Susan Courtwright Rodriguez, both to be a United States District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina, and Sara Bailey, of Texas, to be Director of National Drug Control Policy.

2025-09-17

Summary

The meeting convened for confirmation hearings, featuring several presidential nominees for judicial and policy positions. Rebecca Tableson was considered for the U.S. Court of Appeals, alongside four district court nominees for North Carolina, and Sarah Carter for Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) . The session began with widespread birthday wishes for Chairman Grassley before proceeding to nominee introductions and detailed questioning [ 00:17:48-00:18:36 ] .

Themes

Judicial Nominees' Qualifications and Philosophy

Rebecca Tableson's extensive legal background was highlighted, including clerking for Justices Scalia and Kavanaugh, and her roles as a federal prosecutor and Assistant to the Solicitor General . Her judicial philosophy emphasizes textualism, originalism, and judicial restraint, informed by her mentors' teachings and her commitment to public service . She affirmed her commitment to religious liberty, identifying as a proud and practicing Jew, and noted the Supreme Court's strong protection of such rights . While stating she would faithfully apply Supreme Court precedents, she refrained from explicitly endorsing contentious decisions like Dobbs (though acknowledging Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia as correctly decided) [ 00:59:06-00:59:15 ]

. Tableson also addressed conservative criticisms regarding her and her husband's political leanings, asserting her strong conservative values and commitment to fighting crime .

The four North Carolina district court nominees—David Bragdon, Lindsey Freeman, Matthew Orso, and Susan Rodriguez—were presented as highly qualified individuals dedicated to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law . Their diverse experiences include clerking for Supreme Court and circuit judges, federal prosecution, private practice, and serving as a magistrate judge . They are expected to apply the law impartially and with judicial humility .

Drug Control Policy and Sarah Carter's Nomination

Sarah Carter's nomination to lead the ONDCP sparked debate regarding her qualifications, with some senators questioning her lack of direct government, law enforcement, or public health experience in drug policy prior to three months ago . Supporters, however, emphasized her two decades as an investigative journalist, which provided her with "firsthand experiences embedded with our nation's military and law enforcement" and a deep understanding of drug trafficking and border security issues [ 00:45:13-00:45:47 ]

. A contentious point was the proposed 34% cut to HIDA grants in the Trump budget, despite general agreement on their effectiveness, with Ms. Carter supporting the President's budget while also affirming support for HIDA [ 02:14:28 ] [ 02:14:56 ] [ 02:14:59 ] . Discussions also touched upon the flow of weapons from the U.S. to Mexican cartels and the potential rescheduling of cannabis, where Ms. Carter committed to following federal laws and utilizing data-driven research . She articulated a strategy of "relentless offense" against cartels, involving dismantling labs, seizing assets, and severing supply lines, alongside efforts to reduce demand through prevention and treatment .

Judicial Interpretation and Constitutional Principles

Discussions with judicial nominees covered principles of statutory interpretation, focusing on the paramount importance of textual analysis over legislative history, except in constitutional interpretation where historical debates are relevant . Nominees affirmed the judge's role as applying, not making, law, and the importance of judicial restraint to maintain public trust . The concept of "the people" in the Constitution and the established boundaries of First Amendment protected speech were also explored, with emphasis on content-neutral application and specific categories of unprotected speech [ 01:22:36-01:23:01 ]

. Judges are expected to apply "common sense" as a guardrail, ensuring they do not lose sight of the broader context of the law .

Blue Slip Policy

The bipartisan blue slip policy for district court nominees was acknowledged and praised by senators from both parties, highlighting its importance in respecting senators' input on judicial vacancies in their states and maintaining committee tradition [ 00:26:54-00:27:17 ]

[ 00:40:20-00:40:57 ] .

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting's tone was largely professional and respectful, interspersed with moments of civility, particularly in the birthday wishes to Chairman Grassley and mutual acknowledgments of collegiality [ 00:17:48-00:18:36 ] [ 00:39:41 ]

[ 00:40:20 ] . However, clear partisan divisions emerged, especially during the questioning of Sarah Carter's qualifications and the philosophical underpinnings of Rebecca Tableson's judicial views, leading to some sharp exchanges regarding budget cuts and judicial precedent [ 00:58:09-00:59:15 ] . Overall, there was a shared recognition of the seriousness of the nominations and the importance of public service [ 01:10:00 ] .