Nov 10, 2017

Trump judge pick has no trial experience

Evan Vucci / AP

A Trump nominee to be a federal judge in Alabama, Brett J. Talley, has only practiced law for 3 years, never tried a case and was rated "not qualified" by the American Bar Association, the L.A. Times reports. Talley opponents said he has some of the least experience ever seen for a nomination. Conservatives say the ABA is a biased rater of judges.

Talley is 36, has a Harvard Law degree and had clerked for 2 federal judges. In writings he denounced "Hillary Rotten Clinton" and pledged support for the NRA, the paper reported. His nomination was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, sending him to the full Senate for consideration.

Why it matters: Appointing federal judges can be a president's most consequential act as they remain on the bench long after a presidency is over. The Alliance for Justice, a group that has opposed Trump nominees, says Trump is filling judicial jobs much faster than his predecessor.

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Kendall Baker

MLB's Rob Manfred is latest villain in Astros' cheating scandal

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's decision to grant Astros players immunity in exchange for confessions about their sign-stealing scheme has undermined his reputation — and he only made himself look worse on Sunday.

The interview: In a 45-minute conversation with ESPN, Manfred asserted that public shame was punishment enough for the Astros. He also called the World Series trophy "just a piece of metal" and said that taking a title away from Houston "seems like a futile act."

Go deeper32 mins ago - Sports

Dion Rabouin

Economists warn coronavirus risk far worse than realized

Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images

Worries are growing that the economic impact from the novel coronavirus outbreak will be worse than expected and that markets are being too complacent in factoring it in as a risk.

What's happening: The number of confirmed cases has already far outpaced expectations and even those reports are being viewed through a lens of suspicion that the Chinese government is underreporting the figures.

Go deeper1 hour ago - Economy & Business

Sara Fischer

National newspapers thrive while local outlets struggle to survive

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

While big national newspapers grow stronger, local newspaper chains that have for decades kept the vast majority of the country informed are combusting.

Why it matters: The inequity between giants like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal and their local counterparts represents a growing problem in America as local communities no longer have the power to set the agenda for the news that most affects them.

Go deeper2 hours ago - Economy & Business