Republicans are ramping up efforts to confirm President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees before the midterm elections, holding multiple hearings during a recess in the Senate that allowed Democrats to return to their home state to campaign, The Hill reports.
Republicans are holding multiple Judiciary Committee hearings on nominations to circuit and district courts despite the Senate being in recess until after the midterms. Just four of the panel’s 21 members went to the first meeting earlier this week. Committee chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and the 10 Democrats on the committee all missed the meeting.
“This schedule was agreed to by the chairman and the ranking member, so if somebody on the Democratic side is upset they need to take it up with [Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.,]. She agreed to all this, at least that’s what Senator Grassley tells me,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told the Hill. Kennedy was one of two senators who remained for the entire length of the meeting.
“Senator Feinstein never agreed to hearings during an extended recess, which has never happened before and which clearly interferes with the state work period. The Judiciary Committee is the only committee holding hearings during recess. The circuit court nominee considered is controversial and deserves a full hearing while the Senate is in session,” said Feinstein spokeswoman Ashley Schapitl.
“Historically, Judiciary Committee holds fewer hearings while a Supreme Court nominee is up and doesn’t hold any hearings for controversial nominees. The decision to postpone the Sept. 26 hearing to October was in keeping with committee practice,” she added.
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