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Judiciary Dems accuse GOP of rushing court nominees as 10 advance
The Hill ^ | December 7, 2017 | Lydia Wheeler

Posted on 12/07/2017 11:14:35 AM PST by jazusamo

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee chastised their Republican colleagues on Thursday, accusing them of rushing President Trump’s judicial nominees through the confirmation process.

Ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said it was the fastest confirmation pace for circuit court nominees she could remember in her 25 years on the committee.

“I want to point out that it’s a marked contrast to the traditional rate of confirmations,” she said. “For example, last week marked the fourth hearing since May when two circuit court nominees were on the agenda the same day. That’s four times in six months, yet this committee only held three hearings with two circuit court nominees in all eight years of the Obama administration.”

The committee voted 11-9 long party lines to advance 10 judicial nominees to the floor for a vote on Thursday, including three circuit court judges — Steven Grasz to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and James Ho and Don Willett to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Grasz, an Omaha lawyer, was given one of the rare “not qualified” ratings from the American Bar Association. The ABA said people, whose identities were kept confidential, raised serious doubts that Grasz would be able to set aside his strongly held beliefs and be impartial.

Grassley called ABA’s rating “head scratching.”

“The committee has also received letters of support from hundreds of people who know Mr. Grasz both personally and professionally and in all these letters we haven’t heard from any accuser who has said that Mr. Grasz will insert personal bias into his judging, which is one of the ABA’s unverified and unverifiable claims against him,” he said.

“All we have is the ABA’s claim that an unspecified number of anonymous accusers believe Mr. Grasz can’t separate his personal preferences from applying law in the cases that might come before him.”

Former committee chair Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), meanwhile, slammed Grassley for acceding to pressure from Republicans and reversing the blue-slip tradition that had allowed senators to block judicial nominees from their home states. The committee held a hearing last week on David Stras to serve on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Minnesota Supreme Court judge, who was named to President Trump’s list of potential candidates for the Supreme Court, did not get a blue-slip from his home state Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

“I’ve had that pressure and I’ve stood up to it,” Leahy said, raising his voice.

“Reversing course on your own policy simply due to a change in the White House can do lasting damage to the integrity of this committee,” he said.

Leahy said the committee should never function as a rubber stamp for nominees seeking lifetime appointments to the federal courts.

“Blue-slips were one of the few remaining guiderails on that process,” he said.

Franken, who announced shortly after the meeting that he would be resigning over sexual assault allegations, said in September he was concerned that Stras would be a deeply conservative judge.

The few rows of seating designated for the public in the committee room were filled with members of 14 groups, including Alliance for Justice, the American Constitution Society and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, wearing blue T-shirts in protest of Grassley’s decision not to honor the blue-slip rule.

Grassley said he’d like to take the time to respond to Leahy’s criticism, but already has many times before.

When Grassley announced in November that he was moving forward with the nominations process without blue slips for Stras or Kyle Duncan, a nominee for the 5th Circuit, he said he would keep the blue slip policy to force the Trump administration to consult with lawmakers, but not let the courtesy be abused.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), meanwhile, accused Democrats on the committee of slandering Ho and Willett.

Democrats grilled Willett, a Texas Supreme Court judge, about controversial tweets he posted about transgender people and same-sex marriage. Willett is a prolific Twitter user.

“He is a man of impeccable integrity and he has earned that reputation by serving the people of Texas, by serving as a justice for over a decade, by judging fairly and impartially and following the law,” Cruz said. “And yet in today’s partisan maelstrom members of this committee don’t hesitate to slander and attack his character.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; feinstein; franken; judges; judicialnominees; leahy; trump; trumpnominees
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Senate Judiciary Committee Dems Feinstein, Leahy and Franken again whining that they are unable to obstruct President Trump's nominees.

They would do well to talk to former Sen. Dingy Harry Reid, he can console them.

1 posted on 12/07/2017 11:14:36 AM PST by jazusamo
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To: jazusamo
Just proves what lousy teachers the dims are.

The Republicans STILL haven't got the correct definition of "obfuscation"

Dumb Republicans.

Carry on, Pubbies ....... outstanding !

2 posted on 12/07/2017 11:17:57 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true, I have no proof, but they're true)
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To: jazusamo
... it’s a marked contrast to the traditional rate of confirmations...

Traditional?

Hey Feinstein, see Janet Reno's confirmation: 15 minutes and no questions by the R's.

3 posted on 12/07/2017 11:21:13 AM PST by frog in a pot (Islam is a religion that advocates evil goals, but many of its followers ignore that.)
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To: jazusamo

Dianne has a very poor memory.


4 posted on 12/07/2017 11:21:14 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: jazusamo

“Former committee chair Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), meanwhile, slammed Grassley for acceding to pressure from Republicans and reversing the blue-slip tradition that had allowed senators to block judicial nominees from their home states.”

Tough toenails Leaky! Screw your “blue slip tradition!” Time for ALL of the Unconstitutional Senate TRADITIONS to be done away with! Go out and by yourself some industrial strength “Depends,” in will help you deal with the continual crapping of your own pants that is occurring with each judicial appointment.


5 posted on 12/07/2017 11:21:18 AM PST by vette6387
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To: jazusamo

Elections have consequences.


6 posted on 12/07/2017 11:21:21 AM PST by Arm_Bears (Rope. Tree. Politician/Journalist. Some assembly required.)
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To: jazusamo

WAHHHHHH!

Deal with punks.


7 posted on 12/07/2017 11:22:28 AM PST by Buckeye Battle Cry (Beer! Because you can't drink bacon!)
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To: jazusamo

Ah, quit yer whining!


8 posted on 12/07/2017 11:26:55 AM PST by Lopeover ( The 2016 Election is about allegiance to the United States!)
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To: jazusamo

Cereberus in person - Feinstein, Leahy, and Franken.


9 posted on 12/07/2017 11:28:02 AM PST by ZULU (DITCH MITCH!!! DUMP RYAN!! DROP DEAD MCCAIN!! KIM FATTY the THIRD = Kim Jung Un)
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To: jazusamo

The Dems didn’t think about the consequences of triggering the nuclear option?


10 posted on 12/07/2017 11:31:01 AM PST by colorado tanker
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To: ZULU

Good one, it fits. :)


11 posted on 12/07/2017 11:31:52 AM PST by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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MAGA!

Lets Wrap This FReepathon Up, Folks!

Please bump the Freepathon or click above to donate or become a monthly donor!

12 posted on 12/07/2017 11:33:03 AM PST by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo

The bastards kept Janice Rogers Brown and others in permanent limbo during the Bush years. They and their communist agents at the Hill can go straight to Hell.


13 posted on 12/07/2017 11:33:22 AM PST by Luke21
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To: All

Nice of the ABA to out themselves as the partisan hacks we thought they were.


14 posted on 12/07/2017 11:34:05 AM PST by gibsonguy
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To: jazusamo

Democratic theme song for the 2018 elections by the aptly named Temptations

Ball of confusion, ball of confusion...

And the band played on.


15 posted on 12/07/2017 11:36:53 AM PST by fatez (Ya, well, you know, that's just your opinion man...)
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To: vette6387

Just imagine the heads exploding on both sides when Senator Moore does not sign on the the required unanimous vote to keep the Senate in pro-forma over the Christmas Holiday. Trump will be unwrapping lots of recess appointments.


16 posted on 12/07/2017 11:38:48 AM PST by mazda77
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To: gibsonguy

Yep, the ABA hacks are showing their true colors.


17 posted on 12/07/2017 11:40:29 AM PST by jazusamo (Have YOU Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: mazda77

“Just imagine the heads exploding on both sides when Senator Moore does not sign on the the required unanimous vote to keep the Senate in pro-forma over the Christmas Holiday. Trump will be unwrapping lots of recess appointments.”

Yes, the more McConnell & Co, screw with Moore, the “more” he will turn the screws on them.


18 posted on 12/07/2017 11:42:41 AM PST by vette6387
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To: jazusamo; frog in a pot
So little time.
So much to do.
19 posted on 12/07/2017 11:49:46 AM PST by arthurus
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To: jazusamo

We won.


20 posted on 12/07/2017 11:51:42 AM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west))
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