President Donald Trump tore into Senate obstruction of Republican judicial and U.S. attorney nominees, denouncing the “Blue Slip” tradition as an unconstitutional roadblock that has effectively handed the confirmation process to Democrats in key states.
The blue slip practice currently functions as an informal veto power for home-state senators.
The current Senate Judiciary Committee policy requires positive blue slips from both home-state senators for a nominee to receive a committee hearing and a potential vote.
The failure to return a positive blue slip (or returning a negative one) from even one of the two home-state senators is typically enough to stop the nomination from moving forward in the committee.
The blue slip policy is a tradition and a matter of the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman’s policy, not a formal Senate rule. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), has committed to honoring the blue slip tradition for district court nominees and U.S. attorneys.
“Blue Slips are making it impossible to get great Republican Judges and U.S. Attorneys approved to serve in any state where there is even a single Democrat Senator,” Trump declared.
“If they say no, then it is OVER for that very well qualified Republican candidate. Only a really far left Democrat can be approved.”
The president’s remarks underscore long-standing GOP frustration with Senate norms that allow home-state senators to block judicial nominees through the blue slip process, a practice Trump and allies say has been weaponized to stymie conservative appointments.
According to Trump, the situation has reached a “shocking” level of partisan unfairness.
“It is shocking that Republicans, under Senator Chuck G, allow this scam to continue,” Trump wrote. “So unfair to Republicans, and not Constitutional.”
Trump didn’t stop there. He took aim at Republican Senate leadership, urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune to lead the charge in ending what he calls an unjust Senate tradition.
“I am hereby asking Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a fantastic guy, to get something done, ideally the termination of Blue Slips. Too many GREAT REPUBLICANS are being, SENT PACKIN’. None are getting approved!!!”
More from Fox News:
Trump’s remarks come as courts continue to scrutinize the legality of his U.S. attorney appointments.
Alina Habba announced on Monday that she would be stepping down as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey after an appeals court ruled she was unlawfully serving in the role.
Trump appointed Lindsey Halligan to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, after Erik Siebert resigned. A federal judge in November dismissed the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, finding that Halligan had been unlawfully appointed and therefore lacked the authority to bring the charges.
Trump is effectively urging the Senate to end the long-standing custom for all judicial nominees. Senators from both parties are reluctant to change the practice, fearing they would lose the ability to stall or block nominees they have concerns about.
The post Trump Blasts “Blue Slips” as Unconstitutional Scam Blocking GOP Judges and U.S. Attorneys — Presses John Thune to “Get Something Done” on Stalled Nominees appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
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