Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) says he’s concerned about the qualifications of candidates the Trump White House is nominating for federal judgeships.
Coons is on the Senate Judicial Committee, which holds hearings on nominations. He says some nominees lack legal experience, omitted information on questionnaires or are very partisan. But votes are moving ahead despite Democratic objections about the process.
“It is a big break with what Republicans, including Sen. [Chuck] Grassley - now Chairman Grassley, said during the Obama administration. And I’m very worried that is undermining a century of practice of the Judiciary Committee that allows us to work together,” said Coons.
Tradition has required both senators sign off on a nomination in their state before it proceeds. But Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has said Democrats with objections don’t have veto power.
Coons says he’s working with Republicans on the two district court vacancies in Delaware using the “blue slip process,”which allows senators to offer a favorable or unfavorable opinion of nominees in their state. Coons says so far GOP members are respecting that traditional process.
“I would be extremely upset if the blue slip was disrespected at the district court level and instead we saw nominees coming forward who had no support from Sen. Carper or from me, said Coons. "I think that would be the last vestige of respect for each other shredded.”
Last week, it was announced the candidates supported Coons and Sen. Tom Carper have been nominated. They are Maryellen Noreika and Colm Connolly.
But Coons also complains Republicans are rushing through candidates. While some Republicans, including Sen. Grassley, have recently requested the White House reconsider of some of its nominees, the Senate this year has voted to confirm more judicial appointments than any single year since the Nixon administration. And at least one nominee that the American Bar Association rates as “unqualified” was confirmed by the Senate.