President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for adhering to the Senate's longstanding "blue slip" tradition, which lets home-state senators block U.S. attorney and judicial nominees from advancing.
Trump made the remarks at a White House roundtable on farm relief amid reports that Alina Habba will step down as U.S. attorney for New Jersey, a week after a panel of the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals disqualified her from the job.
The roundtable aired live on Newsmax and on Newsmax2, the free online streaming platform.
"If I put up George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to be U.S. attorney in New Jersey, or to be U.S. attorney in Virginia, we have Democrat senators [who] will not approve them," Trump said. "And this is a gentleman's agreement that's lasted for too long. … I hope that somebody speaks to Sen. Grassley about doing something about the blue slip because I'm telling you, I put up great people, top people, highest education, the best lawyers to be U.S. attorney, and both senators. It only takes one, but if they're Democrat senators, they say we're not going to approve it.
"I had a couple of them say, why don't you appoint Democrats? All because Sen. Grassley, with his blue slip stuff, will not let anybody go by.
"By the way, the Democrats have violated the blue slip provision on numerous occasions. But we don't do it.
"And what it means is, I guess I just have to keep appointing people for three months and then just appoint another one, another one.
"And it's a very sad situation. We're losing a lot of great people."
Habba was appointed in March to serve as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, but New Jersey's two Democrat senators indicated they would block her confirmation.
When her 120-day term expired in July, a panel of federal judges appointed a subordinate, Desiree Leigh Grace, to the role. But Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Grace, blaming Habba's removal on "politically minded judges."
The 3rd Circuit's decision effectively voided Habba's authority after her interim term expired, a finding the Department of Justice is seeking to overturn.
"As a result of the Third Circuit's ruling, and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which I love, I have decided to step down from my role as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey," Habba said in a statement. "But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department, and it will not weaken me."
Trump said the reason senators put the blue slip rule in place is "to protect their asses," but he did not elaborate.
"But it should be done away with," he said. "I want to be able to appoint the most highly educated, the most respected people. They can't keep their jobs because of the blue slips. Terrible."
Bondi said in a statement that "the Department of Justice will seek further review" of the 3rd Circuit Court's decision and "we are confident it will be reversed."
She added that Habba will remain with the DOJ as a senior adviser for U.S. attorneys.
Newsmax reached out to Grassley for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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