NEW: Biden's team is telling Democratic senators to send him recs for nominees for all existing district court vacancies by Jan. 19 -- and that he really wants professional diversity, like civil rights attorneys. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-biden-courts-progressive-nominees_n_5fecc527c5b6e7974fd18321?p6x

Sounds like Biden isn't wasting any time trying to fill court vacancies.

Got a hold of a letter from his incoming WH counsel to all Senate Dems saying let's gooooo. Biden wants recs for nominees to all 43 current district court vacancies ready to go, a day before he's sworn in.

For any district court seats opening up after he's sworn in, Biden wants Dem senators to send him recs for nominees in a matter of weeks.

“Moving forward, we will request that you forward names to us within 45 days of any new vacancy being announced."

Obama was slow to get moving on judicial nominees in his first year.

Biden does not appear ready to repeat this mistake.

Also notable that Biden's is specifically saying he wants professional diversity in his picks.

Progressives have long been calling for this. Obama made historic picks for the federal bench in terms of gender, race, sexual orientation. Not so much with professional BGs.

From the letter to Senate Dems:

"We are particularly focused on nominating individuals whose legal experiences have been historically underrepresented on the federal bench, including those who are public defenders, civil rights & legal aid attorneys...." https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-biden-courts-progressive-nominees_n_5fecc527c5b6e7974fd18321?p6x

I suspect progressives will be elated by what Biden is signaling here with his court picks.

Chris Kang of Demand Justice, for one, is thrilled with Biden's plan here.

This letter reflects "exactly the kind of priorities and processes that we have been pushing for and that will be necessary to rebalance our courts after four years of Trump and McConnell.”