You’re reading Significant Digits, a daily digest of the numbers tucked inside the news.
54 percent of nominations
In addition to his acting chief of staff, attorney general, defense secretary, interior secretary, Office of Management and Budget director and Environmental Protection Agency chief, only 54 percent of President Trump’s civilian executive branch nominations have been confirmed, according to estimates by the Partnership for Public Service. That compares, for example, to 77 percent for President Barack Obama at a similar point in his presidency. The group also estimates that fewer than half of the key positions in the Labor, Justice and Interior departments are filled. [The Washington Post]
30 appeals court judges
On the other hand, Trump has appointed a record high number of federal appeals court judges. The 30 such judges nominated by Trump and confirmed by the Senate so far are more than any other president two years into his tenure. [The Washington Post]
About $0.0000005 per page
The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service administered by the federal judiciary for access to public court filings charges 10 cents a page. The cost of storing and retrieving these documents, however, is estimated at “about one half of one ten-thousandth of a penny per page.” A class action challenge to this practice is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and has garnered an “impressive array of supporting briefs.” [The New York Times]
76 percent of registered voters
Seventy-six percent of registered voters support the wealthiest Americans paying more taxes, according to a new Politico/Morning Consult poll. This largely jives with a Fox News poll that showed 70 percent in favor of increased taxes on those earning more than $10 million. The polls come as 2020 contenders put forward and debate new levies on the rich. [Politico]
5 words
In New Orleans, home of the robbed Saints, the front page of The Times-Picayune on Monday consisted only of five words: “Super Bowl? What Super Bowl?” [Huffington Post]
129 Indian students
The government of India is asking the U.S. to release 129 students who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The students had enrolled in a fake school called the University of Farmington, which was created by ICE as a sting operation “to lure people trying to remain here on student visas.” [Detroit Free Press]
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