Amul Thapar, seen here in a 2006 photo, is the first lower court nominee of President Donald Trump to face a Senate hearing. | AP Photo First Trump lower-court nominee coasts through Senate hearing Kentucky federal judge Amul Thapar is up for promotion to the 6th Circuit.

President Donald Trump's first and, so far, only nominee to federal district or appeals courts sailed through his confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The session, which wrapped up in less than 90 minutes, lacked the tension of the same panel's multi-day hearing on Trump's only other judicial nominee: Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch, who was confirmed and sworn in earlier this month.


But Amul Thapar, currently a U.S. District Court judge in Covington, Ky., who Trump has nominated to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, was put on the spot over the president’s recent berating of federal judges whose rulings he dislikes.

Trump in February lashed out at what he called a "so-called judge" who struck down his executive order restricting travel for people from seven Muslim-majority countries. On Wednesday, he claimed a ruling against an immigration action was a result of "judge shopping," and he accused the wrong court of issuing the ruling.

Asked by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to address the denigration of federal judges, Thapar evaded any direct comment on Trump's rhetoric, but he said it was unlikely to have much impact because federal judges are thick-skinned and have lifelong tenure.

"I am a proud Article III judge. We've been criticized from the beginning of this great country," Thapar said. "What I will say about me and my colleagues is it doesn't matter to us."

Blumenthal said the impact of Trump's anti-judicial salvos was more corrosive.

"It doesn't matter to you, judge, but it does matter to the powers of the federal courts that the American public respect and trust the federal judiciary," the Connecticut senator said. "When the president of the United State denounces or demeans you—calling one of your brethren a so-called judge or attacking the court of appeals.....it's degrading the courts and it affects our democracy."

Thapar also faced pointed questions from Democrats about his affiliation with the conservative Federalist Society.

Trump last year had included both Gorsuch and Thapar, 47, on a list of judges he said he would choose from when making nominations to the Supreme Court, and the possibility Thapar could someday be elevated to the high court was a subtext of Wednesday's hearing. Thapar was one of four individuals reportedly interviewed by Trump for the Supreme Court vacancy.

Under questioning by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Thapar said Wednesday he was surprised to learn from a law clerk after a court session last fall that he'd been named to Trump's list.

"I have no idea how I got on the list. I wasn't notified ahead of time," Thapar said.

Whitehouse and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) noted that the list was prepared by the Federalist Society and by the conservative Heritage Foundation, but Thapar insisted he'd made no pledge of ideological fealty to those groups.

"I'm my own judge, and I hope my track record speaks to that," he said. He called the Federalists "an open-debate society." Durbin appeared skeptical of that explanation.

"They like you," the Illinois Democrat said. "If they're an open debate society, if they're an open debate society, why would a Republican candidate for president place such faith" in their recommendations?

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said the organization's views in favor of freedom and the separation of powers embrace bedrock American values that no senator would disagree with.

"A huge part of this hearing was about trying to demonize the Federalist Society...trying to demonize an organization that stands for something that aligns with the oath of office that 100 of us have taken," he said.

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The biggest surprise at Wednesday's hearing was that Thapar sat at the witness table alone. The committee was also expected to hear from Trump's nominee to head the Justice Department's antitrust division, Makan Delrahim, but his appearance was put off at the last minute due to what senators described as a "paperwork" issue.

Thapar was introduced to the committee by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has called Thapar a friend.

"Through this hearing, I think you will come to see the bright, fair and dedicated man who will make an incredible addition to the 6th Circuit," McConnell said.

While GOP lawmakers are often critical of Democrats for playing identity group politics, McConnell and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley both noted that Thapar was the first American of South Asian descent on the federal bench, and Grassley said Thapar would become the second-ever such judge to serve on an appellate court if he is confirmed.

Thapar also noted that he has the support of two major Asian-American lawyers' groups.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) took a passing shot at his Republican colleagues Wednesday for their renewed interest in filling judicial slots that were open for months or years under President Barack Obama.

"I'm pleased we're making progress in filling some of the many judicial vacancies across the country," Coons said. "It's good to be back and having confirmation hearings."