Earlier today the Senate Judiciary Committee approved two nominees for the federal appellate bench. By votes of 12-7 and 16-3, respectively, the Committee voted to recommend confirmation of Judge David Hamilton to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and Judge Andre Davis to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The Committee also approved the nomination of Thomas Perez to head up the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division. BLT has more here.