# The Butler Didn’t Do It

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-butler-didnt-do-it/
- Published: 2026-11-09T21:19:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T22:41:22+00:00
- Original publisher: Reason (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://reason.com/volokh/2026/11/09/the-butler-didnt-do-it/
- Topics: Government, Politics

## Key points

- Butler’s nomination timeline predates Southwick’s senior-status announcement.
- The article questions whether the selection process was settled early.
- Butler’s career has focused largely on employment law.

## Summary

Todd Butler’s Senate Judiciary questionnaire has drawn criticism over what its chronology leaves out and the breadth of his legal background, as he is considered for a seat on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The article argues that Senator Roger Wicker contacted Butler about a potential vacancy months before Judge Leslie Southwick announced he would take senior status, raising questions about whether the selection process was arranged in advance.

Butler’s account says Wicker contacted him on 29 June 2026, the White House Counsel’s Office arranged an interview on 1 July, and Butler was interviewed on 13 July; President Trump told him on 1 October that he planned to nominate him. The article also notes that Butler joined the Federalist Society in 2016, has mainly practised employment law, and has handled local officials’ First Amendment cases. It criticises the questionnaire’s limited detail on some teaching and pro bono work, while acknowledging Butler’s bar and Inn of Court leadership roles.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.