Senate questionnaires

The president's nominees to federal circuit courts have been judged conservative for their stands on hot-button issues. But a review of their financial disclosure forms and Senate questionnaires reveals that the nominees are more notable for their close ties to corporate and economic interests, especially the energy and mining industries. Some of them were paid lobbyists for those same interests. Further, the nominees with industry ties were overwhelmingly appointed to circuit courts regarded as traditional battlegrounds over litigation affecting these industries. Independent observers who follow the federal bench believe that the extensive corporate involvement among so many of the nominees is unprecedented.


please see those bold texts.
The president's nominees to federal circuit courts have been judged conservative for their stands on hot-button issues.

can you please tell what is hot-button issues ? Gun rights, abortion, welfare reform, alien technology, 9/11 investigations
why its told conservative in the first line.

whats the overall meaning of this line ? The president nominates his cronies and people who helped the president get elected. They in turn reflect the parties values in their judgements.



Further, the nominees with industry ties were overwhelmingly appointed to circuit courts regarded as traditional battlegrounds over litigation affecting these industries.

whats the meaning of traditional battlegrounds over litigation affecting these industries ? Different circuit courts get different cases brought before them. You'll often hear of the 5th circuit court of appeals. Lawyers bring their cases before judges with known leanings one way or another in an effort to win their cases. These become battlegrounds between the left and the right.
whats the overall meaning of this line ? Your teacher is a liberal weenie who feels that there are too many conservative judges being appointed by that weenie George Bush and he/she probably is ferverantly anti-Bush.