Al Franken will use Senate blue-slip tradition to block Trump judiciary nominee

The Washington Times ^ | Sept 5, 2017 | Alex Swoyer

[jazusamo]

Sen. Al Franken said Tuesday that he will use an arcane Senate tradition to try to derail one of President Trump’s appeals court nominees, marking an escalation in what has become a nasty fight over the shape of the federal judiciary.

Mr. Franken said he won’t return his “blue slip” for Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras, Mr. Trump’s nominee for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Under Senate tradition, the chamber won’t proceed on a judicial nominee unless both home-state senators return their blue slips, signifying acquiescence in the pick.

Left with little power to filibuster, the blue slip has become the most effective tool Democrats have to obstruct Mr. Trump’s court nominees.

Mr. Franken said he is objecting because Judge Stras looks to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Antonin Scalia as role models.

“I am concerned that a nominee nurtured by such an ideology would likely seek to impose it on the litigants before him,” Mr. Franken said in a press release announcing his decision.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Note that “tradition” does not equal “law” or even “rule.”

Hope McConnell looks at his poll numbers and does the right thing.

[Yaelle]

Al Franken has a NYT best seller currently, apparently. Some thing like “from SNL to a serious senator.” I am surprised a publisher would bother to put covers on a one paragraph essay.

[chiller]

OK then, I’ll bet DjT knows how to play hardball with Franken and/or Minnesocold.

[marygam]

McConnell will not do that as he is an obstructionist. He can’t stand Trump so in essence will allow Franken’s stunt.

[jazusamo]

Amen, my FRiend!

[jazusamo]

Oh yeah, Jesse Ventura, what a joke.

[Heart of Georgia]

“Mr. Franken said he is objecting because Judge Stras looks to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas”

Using the left’s “logic” - So, Mr. Franken is a racist. Otherwise, he would not object to Judge Stras looking to SCJ Thomas as a role model.

[Gay State Conservative]

If it is you that keeps posting it, THANKS!

Since first seeing this some time ago it's the second thing I think of when I hear his name....the first one being how he and the Rat Party machine stole the election on his first run.

So no,it's mainly others...but I've posted it once or twice myself.

[editor-surveyor]

.
The ever irrelevent Al Frankenstein!
.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Elections have consequences!
.

[PubliusMM]

Sounds like another arcane tradition that needs to die a horrible, painful, dhimmirat-chafing death.

[j.havenfarm]

Arcane my a**. This is the reason why you see left wing nuts in blue states appointed by republicans.

[RetiredTexasVet]

No wonder they can’t get anything done in the Senate ... they are operating with Romper Room rules .... time to grow up children!

[SaveFerris]

lol

[fwdude]

“Traditions” are made to be broken. Follow the Constitution.

[gundog]

Doesn’t the Constitution empower the Senate to make their own rules?

[Pollster1]

Time for that tradition to die.

[kiryandil]

Franken is a Nazi ideologue.

[LS]

This is one of the first non-blue slips. Trump has had 4 Circuit Judges confirmed and 11 others blue-slipped, already a record for the first year (JFK had 14)

[Hamilcar_Barca]

I expect the “Rats” to do this, but the Republican majority in the Senate so not go along. The swamp is bigger than I thought. Take out the RINOs in primaries.