title:  OOPS: Trump Judicial Nominee Didn’t Tell Congress About Marriage To White House Attorney
text: This is a major conflict of interest that should automatically disqualify him.When the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to approve Donald Trump s nomination of Brett Talley to a federal judgeship in Alabama, they did so without knowing that Talley is married to White House lawyer Ann Donaldson, who is the chief of staff to White House counsel Donald McGahn.That s a pretty big detail to leave out of a disclosure form.According to the New York Times,Mr. Talley was asked on his publicly released Senate questionnaire to identify family members and others who are  likely to present potential conflicts of interest.  He did not mention his wife.District judges often provide the first ruling when laws are called into question, decisions that can put them at odds with the White House and its lawyers. Last month, for example, judges in Hawaii and Maryland temporarily blocked Mr. Trump s travel ban.Mr. Talley also did not mention his wife when he described his frequent contact with White House lawyers during the nomination process.Talley has also never tried a case in his life, making him even more unqualified to be a judge. In fact, the American Bar Association judged Tally as  unqualified  for the position in a very rare unanimous decision.The Senate could hold a confirmation vote as early as Monday, and it is important that they reject Talley, especially since he lied to them by omission.If Republicans confirm Talley, they will be telling future nominees that it s okay to lie to Congress in order to get an important job. That should not be allowed to happen. Trump and Republicans often claim that immigration should be based on merit. Well, becoming a federal judge should definitely be based on merit, not based on who you re married to and whether you ll be a rubber stamp for a corrupt administration.Featured Image: Win McNamee/Getty Images 