Trump nominates Kentucky judge for federal post
President Donald Trump has nominated a Kentucky circuit judge for a federal position.
Judge David Tapp, of Somerset, has been nominated for a spot on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
Tapp has been circuit judge for Lincoln, Pulaski and Rockcastle counties since 2005.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tapp’s nomination Friday, saying Trump “has chosen an experienced and qualified nominee.”
“Judge Tapp has excelled throughout his public service as a law enforcement officer, a prosecutor, and for well over a decade as a Circuit Court Judge. He’s been recognized time and again for his transformative leadership in the Commonwealth’s legal community, and I was proud to appoint him to the national Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in 2017,” McConnell said in a statement. “Now, Judge Tapp will put his many talents to work for our country as a federal judge. I’d like to congratulate Judge Tapp on his nomination, and I look forward to the Senate confirming him.”
A native of Morehead, Tapp earned a bachelor’s degree from Morehead State University, juris doctor from the University of Louisville and master’s from Chaminade University in Hawaii.
Aside from his work as circuit judge, he also is responsible for the training of Kentucky’s circuit judges through his role as chairman of the Circuit Judges Education Committee. He ran unsuccessfully last year for a seat on the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Tapp said Saturday that he is “extraordinarily excited” about the opportunity to serve on the federal claims court, which is based in Washington, D.C.
The court has nationwide jurisdiction over monetary claims against the U.S. government. The cases it hears range from lawsuits brought by American Indian tribes to disputes regarding government contracts.
