Matthew Kacsmaryk, 45, has a long career as an ultraconservative behind him. Before being appointed in 2017 by Donald Trump as a federal judge in Texas, he worked as a lawyer for the First Liberty Institute, a conservative Christian organization that fights against abortion rights.
His pro-life commitment, according to the American media, began after a personal tragedy. He supported his sister Jennifer Griffith when she had a child who was then placed up for adoption at age 17. He was called an "extremist" by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.