President Donald Trump said that Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, "must step up" and let appointed judges and prosecutors be confirmed.
Trump posted a message on his social media platform, Truth Social, outlining what he wants to see happen.
"Chuck Grassley, who I got re-elected to the U.S. Senate when he was down, by a lot, in the Great State of Iowa, could solve the 'Blue Slip' problem we are having with respect to the appointment of Highly Qualified Judges and U.S. Attorneys, with a mere flick of the pen," he posted.
The reference is to nominees traditionally needing home state senators to approve the appointment by handing over a blue slip of acceptance. It's a process Grassley ignored at times in order to get appointments confirmed during Trump's first term. As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the new Trump administration, Grassley controls the process.
The president complained that the blue slips again should be ignored.
"Democrats like [Sens. Chuck] Schumer, [Mark] Warner, [Tim] Kaine, [Cory] Booker, [Adam] Schiff, and others, SLEAZEBAGS ALL, have an ironclad stoppage of Great Republican Candidates. Put simply, the President of the United States will never be permitted to appoint the person of his choice because of an ancient, and probably Unconstitutional, 'CUSTOM,' that if you have, even one person in the opposite Party serving in the U.S. Senate, he/she must give consent, thereby completely stopping the opposite Party's Nomination."
Trump said there’s only one option to consider to get appointments approved.
"Senator Grassley must step up, like Crooked Joe Biden did, when he openly broke, at least two times, the 'Blue Slip' SCAM, and like others have done over the years, and let our Great Republican Judges and U.S. Attorneys BE CONFIRMED. He should do this, IMMEDIATELY, and not let the Democrats laugh at him and the Republican Party for being weak and ineffective."
The president said the tradition has little value at this point.
"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!"
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters at the Capitol on July 21 that he was "thinking about" keeping the Senate in action in August instead of allowing a scheduled recess to push ahead on Trump's judicial appointments.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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