GOP advances judges over Dianne Feinstein, Kamala Harris complaints.
The Senate Judiciary Committee cleared two nominees Thursday for seats on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ignoring objections from California's two Democratic senators who complained they didn't get a say in who President Trump picked.
Democrats said the two men were too conservative to earn seats on the West Coast's most important court, but their complaints were even broader, accusing Republicans of further upending the "Blue slip" tradition that, at some points in the past, has allowed home-state senators to veto judicial nominees.
"We are seeing a new low," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said, calling the move to advance the two 9th Circuit picks the first time a judicial nominee had been approved by the committee over objections of the top member of the minority party - in this case, Mrs. Feinstein herself.
The blue slip tradition is a Senate courtesy that has waxed and waned over the years.
For circuit nominees, which span multiple states, even though states claim ownership of seats, the GOP says it won't allow senators to let the blue slip become a veto.
"Senator [Kamala] Harris is going to have a hard time voting for anybody acceptable to Trump. That's just the way it is," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, the GOP chairman of the committee.
https://outline.com/cg7wTc
The Senate Judiciary Committee cleared two nominees Thursday for seats on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ignoring objections from California's two Democratic senators who complained they didn't get a say in who President Trump picked.
Democrats said the two men were too conservative to earn seats on the West Coast's most important court, but their complaints were even broader, accusing Republicans of further upending the "Blue slip" tradition that, at some points in the past, has allowed home-state senators to veto judicial nominees.
"We are seeing a new low," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said, calling the move to advance the two 9th Circuit picks the first time a judicial nominee had been approved by the committee over objections of the top member of the minority party - in this case, Mrs. Feinstein herself.
The blue slip tradition is a Senate courtesy that has waxed and waned over the years.
For circuit nominees, which span multiple states, even though states claim ownership of seats, the GOP says it won't allow senators to let the blue slip become a veto.
"Senator [Kamala] Harris is going to have a hard time voting for anybody acceptable to Trump. That's just the way it is," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, the GOP chairman of the committee.
https://outline.com/cg7wTc
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