Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., would vote against one of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees who has never tried a case in court, Kennedy said Tuesday, according to Politico.
Brett Talley, Trump's nominee for a district court seat in Alabama, has been criticized for being rated not qualified by the American Bar Association and for never having tried a case in court.
Kennedy said he would vote down Talley "in a heartbeat — twice, if I can," according to Politico.
The senator had supported Talley, according to Politico's report — but then The New York Times reported that Talley failed to mention that his wife is White House counsel Don McGahn's chief of staff.
"I had no idea his connection. And he's never tried a lawsuit in his natural life. And he's going to be on the federal bench? Give me a break. A break. It's embarrassing," Kennedy said to a gaggle of reporters Tuesday, according to Politico.
"And I think the president of the United States is getting some very, very bad advice," Kennedy added.
The Louisiana senator also voted against Gregory Katsas for a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals position, which made him the first Senate Republican to go against a Trump judicial selection, Politico's report said.
The Senate voted to confirm Katsas in a 50-48 vote Tuesday, The Hill reported.
Katsas was deputy White House counsel and testified that he worked on the White House response to Robert Mueller's probe into alleged Russian ties to the Trump campaign, Politico reported.
"He's going to walk across the street and sit on the court that is going to hear cases involving the president and we're all as Americans supposed to believe that he alone will judge when he has a conflict or not," Kennedy said to reporters, according to Politico.
"It's like talking to the wind," Kennedy said, noting that he had mentioned to the White House his concerns about Trump's judicial nominees.
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