We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues, focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters, legislative initiatives, and sentencing issues.

TRUMP NOMINATES TWO FOR SENTENCING COMMISSION

President Trump last week announced the nominations of US District Judge John Cronan (Southern District of New York) and Jason Manion to the US Sentencing Commission.

The Commission has been short two commissioners for 18 months, and the impending loss of two more at the end of this year would have prevented the USSC from taking any action.

Judge Cronan, appointed to the bench by Trump in 2019, spent his career in the DOJ, ending up as Acting Attorney General for the Criminal Division. Jason Manion is General Counsel and Senior Advisor to the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. He previously served as Counselor to the Attorney General and was an Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Because of additional looming vacancies, four new commissioners would have to be confirmed by the US Senate to bring the Commission to full strength. However, even approving these two before the end of this year would allow the Commission to continue functioning. Whether the Senate sees this as sufficiently important to act – unlike in Trump’s first term, when the nomination of Judge Henry Hudson withered on the vine (a fate that appointment richly deserved) is unclear.

Truth Social, Nomination of Jason Manion to USSC (June 29, 2026)

Truth Social, Nomination of John Cronan to USSC (June 29, 2026)

~ Thomas L. Root