Durbin Announces Hold On The Nomination Of The U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Florida
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that he is holding the nomination of Jason Reding Quiñones to be a United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, as well as leaving open the possibility of holds on future U.S. Attorney nominees.
During last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting, Durbin noted that because of then-Senator J.D. Vance holding U.S. Attorney nominations during the Biden Administration, there is now a new precedent for roll call votes on the Floor for confirming U.S. Attorney nominees. For decades, the Senate confirmed U.S. Attorneys by voice vote or unanimous consent after they had been considered in the Judiciary Committee. That precedent changed during the Biden Administration when a Senate Republican refused to allow the Senate to confirm nearly a dozen Justice Department nominees by voice vote—the typical practice. During the first Trump Administration, all 85 of President Trump’s U.S. Attorney nominees moved through the Judiciary Committee and were confirmed by the Senate by unanimous consent.
“I appreciate Chairman Grassley’s previous statements that he will continue to honor the blue slip, as I did for my four years as Chair. Blue slips are critical to ensuring that district court judges, U.S. Attorneys, and U.S. Marshals have the support of their home state Senators.
“However, because of then-Senator J.D. Vance holding U.S. Attorney nominations during the Biden Administration, there is now a new precedent for roll call votes on the Floor for confirming U.S. Attorney nominees. As I’ve said time and time again—there cannot be one set of rules for Republicans and another set for Democrats.
“Because of the precedent set by then-Senator Vance, I am holding the nomination of Jason Reding Quiñones to be a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida to ensure the appropriate Floor time is spent considering his nomination, which I may continue to do for other U.S. Attorney nominees who are reported to the Floor in the future.”
During last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting, Durbin also called on the White House to work in good faith with Senators from both sides of the aisle to find U.S. Attorney candidates who will have home state support. Durbin cautioned that while this has been the case for filling some vacancies, not all Democratic Senators have been afforded the same opportunity to consult with the Trump White House.
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