President Trump wants the Senate to stop the absurd tradition of blue slips. That is where one Democrat can stop a judicial appointment. Senator Grassley is insulted that he asked. Although, he could have used a better approach.
The President can’t get his judges appointed. The Senate won’t abandon this practice, and the Democrats put blue slips in on all his appointments.
Sen. Grassley Was Offended
Sen. Chuck Grassley was “offended” by Trump attacking him over the practice.
In brief remarks at the start of a hearing, Grassley responded to Trump posting on social media late Tuesday that Grassley should “IMMEDIATELY” get rid of the committee’s so-called blue slip rule, a custom unique to the judiciary panel that prevents any U.S. district court nominee or U.S. attorney nominee from getting a hearing unless both of that nominee’s home-state senators turn in a literal blue slip of paper to the committee, signifying their support for that nominee.
“Last night, I was surprised to see President Trump on Truth Social go after me and Senate Republicans over what we call the ‘blue slip,‘” Grassley said Wednesday. “The people in real America don’t care about what the ‘blue slip’ is but, in fact, it impacts in their states the district judges who serve their communities.”
“I was offended by what the president said, and I’m disappointed that it would result in personal insults,” he said.
Trump said of Grassley, “He should do this, IMMEDIATELY, and not let the Democrats laugh at him and the Republican Party for being weak and ineffective. The Democrats have broken this ridiculous custom on us, it’s time that we break it on them. Chuck, I know you have the Courage to do this, DO IT!”
Defining a Blue Slip
A blue slip is a piece of paper used by the Senate Judiciary Committee to gather opinions from home-state senators regarding a nominee for a federal judgeship. When a president nominates an individual for a U.S. circuit or district court judgeship, the committee chair sends a blue slip to the senators representing the nominee’s home state. Senators can respond in one of three ways:
Return it with support: Indicating no objection to the nominee.
Return it with opposition: Expressing concerns or objections to the nominee.
Not return it at all. This indicates a lack of support
Senators’ commitment to keeping their judiciary panel’s blue slip rule appears to be nonnegotiable.
Republicans Abused It?
Allegedly, according to Huffington Post, Republicans abused the tradition when Biden was in power. That would be when Biden was appointing radical communist judges.Democrats returned more than 130 blue slips and helped confirm 84 district judges in states with at least one Democratic senator. By contrast, more than two years into Biden’s presidency, Republicans had returned just 13 blue slips. iI that is true, how come, only two of Trump’s judges have gotten through in almost seven months? That is especially concerning given that we live under judicial tyranny.
It seems Republicans might like it because it allows them to control the President’s picks. When he was using the Federalist’s recommendations for judges, they liked them better. I don’t think they like conservatives.
Three Useless Senators Respond
“I don’t sense any rush to change it,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters. He defended the custom, and suggested Republicans are more interested in “looking at options” for speeding up votes on nominees.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters that he’d ask Trump to “back off.”
Another member of the judiciary panel, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), scoffed at Trump for wanting to scrap it.
This is what they want to stick with?
Time to give Grassley a call and tell him to do the right thing; might need to tell him what it is: Get rid of the blue slips and get Trump’s appointments done! Here are his phone numbers: Sioux City, IA 51101 PHONE: (712) 233-1860 Council Bluffs, IA 51501 PHONE: (712) 322-7103 Des Moines, IA 50309 PHONE: (515) 288-1145 Waterloo, IA 50701 PHONE:… Read more »
The approach has NOTHING to do with this. Trump did not insult Grassley. He had the right to express his opinion, and Grassley resented being identified as the obstacle he has always been. According to the Constitution, a single senator has no power to veto a judicial nominee. Grassley is a Trump opponent. He proved that 2017-2019 when he as… Read more »
The DC status quo swamp club makes me sick. Especially the older career politicians.