WASHINGTON ― The White House and Senate Republicans on Monday quietly advanced one of President Donald Trump’s most controversial judicial nominees to date, Steven Menashi, a legal aide to the president with a long record of opposing and undermining equality for communities of color, women and LGBTQ people. Within minutes of the White House formally submitting Menashi’s nomination to the Senate late Monday afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Committee added his name to its agenda for a Wednesday hearing. The agenda had been blank prior to the White House sending over Menashi’s nomination. That’s an incredibly fast turn-around for a judicial nominee, and it’s no mistake that the Republican-led committee kept its agenda empty until the last minute. It helped to stave off prolonged protests by progressive groups that have already signaled strong opposition to Menashi, who, if confirmed, will have a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.

Evan Vucci/ASSOCIATED PRESS Senate Republicans are plowing ahead with confirming one of President Donald Trump's aides, Steven Menashi, to be a U.S. appeals court judge.

Menashi is a perfect storm of awful. Expect protest activity this week regarding his nomination hearinghttps://t.co/XQQZo2zpSv — Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) September 9, 2019