Trump Missouri appointee rejects GOP challenge to Justice Department poll watchers

Earlier this week ex Biden White House lawyer Dana Remus told reporters on the call that the volume of lawsuits filed by Republicans should not be taken as evidence of the validity of their claims. More like 2020, when Donald Trump and his allied candidates, campaigns and organizations lost more than 60 lawsuitsshe told listeners she still has confidence in our courts.

It would be easy to be cynical about the federal judiciary at this point. After all, the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling last July (which could wipe out Trump’s federal election interference case even if he loses the election) has left even some of the court’s most ardent defenders speechless. But Rem’s first excuse the prediction came last night—and from an unlikely source.

Now a federal district court judge. Sarah Pitlik, who serves in St. Louis, was one of President Trump’s most controversial nominees. A former law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, she faced significant opposition as a candidate for two main reasons. First, the American Bar Association rated her “unqualified” due to her lack of trial experience or actual trial experience. Secondly, she was like The Washington Post noted when she was confirmed, she was “criticized by reproductive rights advocates” not only for her antipathy to abortion rights, but also for her “strong opposition” to both surrogacy and IVF.

But last night, faced with an emergency motion from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, Judge Pitlick sided with his opponent: US Attorney General Merrick Garland. Missouri in particular sought to prevent federal poll watchers from entering polling places, arguing that their presence would violate Missouri election law. Directing the Justice Department to respond immediately, Pitlick quickly denied the temporary restraining order Bailey sought.

Why? Because poll watchers have been specifically agreed to as part of the ongoing agreement between the City of St. Louis and the Department of Justice to eliminate barriers to voting for city residents with disabilities and ensure they have fair and full access to the polls.

In her brief, Pitlick argued that ”