Remembering his history with Judge Walker, Mr. McConnell said he was asked by the boy’s grandfather, a McConnell acquaintance, to grant the student an interview for a paper he was writing on the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress. Mr. McConnell said he wasn’t in the habit of helping high schoolers with their homework, but made an exception for a friend. Mr. McConnell said he took note of Judge Walker’s strong and regular defense of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh during the fight over his confirmation to the Supreme Court. Mr. McConnell promoted Judge Walker for a district court slot that he was confirmed to last year — but even then, he had a higher court in mind. Mr. McConnell dismissed those concerns as ridiculous, saying past nominees of Democrats had voiced political opinions but were still installed on the courts.

Source: New York Times June 18, 2020 18:41 UTC