Senator Durbin Criticizes Republican Obstruction of Presidential Nominees

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

• 🏛️ Senator Dick Durbin addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss the obstruction of US Attorney nominees.
• 🗓️ He highlighted that for decades, US attorneys were confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent, with all 85 of President Trump's nominees approved this way.

Shifting Confirmation Process

• 🚫 Durbin detailed how Senate Republicans began a campaign of obstruction early in the Biden administration, citing Senator Cotton's hold in April 2021.
• ⏳ He drew a parallel to the extended vacancy of Antonin Scalia's Supreme Court seat, which remained unfilled for the last year of the Obama administration.
• 🛑 Further obstruction occurred in June 2023 when Senator J.D. Vance placed a blanket hold on Department of Justice nominees, aiming to "grind the Justice Department to a halt."

Impact of Obstruction

• 📉 Due to Republican obstruction, President Biden was only able to fill 68 out of 93 US attorney positions with Senate-confirmed nominees.
• ⚖️ Durbin criticized the current situation where Republican senators have their preferred nominees confirmed while "outrageous picks" are installed in states through legally dubious means.
• 🤝 He expressed a desire to work with Chairman Grassley on a fair and bipartisan solution to the problem, acknowledging that both parties have contributed to the current impasse.

Bipartisan Tradition and Blue Slips

• 📜 Durbin thanked the Chairman for upholding the bipartisan tradition of requiring "blue slips" from senators supporting district court nominees from other states.
• 🔄 He noted instances where Democratic senators did not approve blue slips during the Trump administration, waiting for a Democratic president, and where Republican senators similarly waited for a Republican president.
• 💡 Durbin emphasized the importance of maintaining this tradition for fair judicial appointments.