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 Trumps 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 its 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. Thats 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 ABAs 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 havent heard from any accuser who has said that Mr. Grasz will insert personal bias into his judging, which is one of the ABAs unverified and unverifiable claims against him, he said.
All we have is the ABAs claim that an unspecified number of anonymous accusers believe Mr. Grasz cant 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 Trumps list of potential candidates for the Supreme Court, did not get a blue-slip from his home state Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).
Ive had that pressure and Ive 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 Grassleys decision not to honor the blue-slip rule.
Grassley said hed like to take the time to respond to Leahys 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 todays partisan maelstrom members of this committee dont hesitate to slander and attack his character.
They would do well to talk to former Sen. Dingy Harry Reid, he can console them.
The Republicans STILL haven't got the correct definition of "obfuscation"
Dumb Republicans.
Carry on, Pubbies ....... outstanding !
Traditional?
Hey Feinstein, see Janet Reno's confirmation: 15 minutes and no questions by the R's.
Dianne has a very poor memory.
“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.
Elections have consequences.
WAHHHHHH!
Deal with punks.
Ah, quit yer whining!
Cereberus in person - Feinstein, Leahy, and Franken.
The Dems didn’t think about the consequences of triggering the nuclear option?
Good one, it fits. :)
Lets Wrap This FReepathon Up, Folks!
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.
Nice of the ABA to out themselves as the partisan hacks we thought they were.
Democratic theme song for the 2018 elections by the aptly named Temptations
Ball of confusion, ball of confusion...
And the band played on.
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.
Yep, the ABA hacks are showing their true colors.
“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.
We won.
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