U.S. Senate votes to fill all Kansas federal district court judge positions with Trump nominees
U.S. Senate confirmation of Kansas Solicitor General Anthony Powell, photographed during oral argument of a Kansas Court of Appeals case, completes addition of three new U.S. District Court judges in Kansas. President Donald Trump nominated Powell, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi and Great Bend attorney Jeff Kuhlman to vacancies in Kansas. (Photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)
TOPEKA — The U.S. Senate completed confirmation of President Donald Trump’s selections to fill all six U.S. District Court judge positions in Kansas.
The overhaul was marked by Senate approval of Anthony Powell of Wichita and Tony Mattivi of Topeka, who were nominated for the federal bench along with Jeff Kuhlman of Great Bend. Powell was confirmed 50-44 on June 10, Mattivi 51-46 on June 9 and Kuhlman 52-46 on June 2.
The trio testified as a group before the Senate Judiciary Committee and all three received their official federal judicial commission Thursday.
U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran, both Kansas Republicans, supported nominations of Powell, who was Kansas’ solicitor general; Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation; and Kuhlman, who worked in private practice.
Moran said Powell had the legal qualifications to perform duties of a federal judge and demonstrated a commitment to “public service, devotion to our Constitution and respect for the people of Kansas.”
Powell was appointed the state’s solicitor general in 2022 by Attorney General Kris Kobach. He was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Gov. Sam Brownback and served in that role from 2013 to 2022. He was a Sedgwick County District Court judge from 2003 to 2013. He was a Republican member of the Kansas House from 1995 to 2003 and previously worked as an intern for U.S. Sen. Robert Dole.
Mattivi ran an unsuccessful GOP campaign in 2022 for state attorney general, losing the primary election to Kobach. The general election was won by Kobach, who appointed Mattivi director at the KBI. Mattivi had a 22-year career as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice. He had prior experience as a county and state prosecutor.
“His experience in law enforcement and public service will bring a valuable perspective to the federal bench. Kansas is fortunate to have him serve in this role,” Marshall said.
The three other slots on the federal bench in Kansas were filled during Trump’s first term. That group included Judge Toby Crouse of Topeka, who was confirmed in 2020 on a vote of 50-43. Judge John Broomes of Wichita and Judge Holly Teeter of Kansas City, Kansas, were confirmed by voice votes in 2018.
Federal district courts in Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, also rely on the contributions of judges who transitioned to senior status.
Mattivi, Powell and Broomes graduated from law school at Washburn University in Topeka. Teeter and Crouse earned law degrees at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Kuhlman’s law diploma is from George Mason University.