Trump to nominate Kentucky judge to appeals court

President Trump will nominate a Kentucky federal district court judge for a promotion to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in his first judicial nomination outside of his Supreme Court selection, the White House announced Tuesday.

Judge Amul Thapar, who currently sits on the Eastern District of Kentucky’s district court, became the first federal judge, often referred to as an Article III judge, of South Asian descent in 2008 after his nomination by President George W. Bush. 

He passed through the Senate on a voice vote in late 2007 before taking the court to start the new year. If confirmed, Thapar will move up to the appeals court that hears cases from Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. 

{mosads}It’s not the first time Trump has shown an inclination toward Thapar. As a presidential candidate, Trump included him on his list of potential Supreme Court picks. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) lauded Thapar in a statement, celebrating Trump’s choice as “outstanding.” 

“I applaud the President for announcing his intent to nominate my friend, Judge Amul Thapar, to serve on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his already impressive career of public service, Amul has shown an incredible intellect and an unshakable dedication to the law,” he said. 

“He has earned the respect of his colleagues, and I know that he will bring to the Sixth Circuit the same wisdom, fairness, and ability that he has shown on the District Court.”

Before his first nomination, Thapar worked in the Justice Department, including as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, prosecuting cases in front of the bench on which he’d later sit.