GOP Sen. Vance to slow-walk Biden DOJ nominees over Trump prosecution

Sen. J.D. Vance introduced Tuesday he’ll put a maintain on all of President Biden’s Justice Department nominees in retribution for the company prosecuting former President Donald Trump over his dealing with of categorized paperwork.

Any one senator has the power to slow-walk nominees, which suggests the Ohio Republican will drive the Democratic-controlled Senate to eat up flooring time with procedural and affirmation votes.

“I think it’s time we stop just whining about this problem and debating this problem and actually do something about it,” the freshman senator stated in a video posted to Twitter.

“I think that we have to grind this department to a halt until [Attorney General] Merrick Garland promises to do his job and stop going after his political opponents,” he stated.

Procedural and affirmation votes on Justice Department nominees solely require a easy majority and can go — assuming no Democrats defect — however the maintain will throw a wrench in Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s schedule.

Justice Department nominees are sometimes confirmed swiftly through unanimous consent, and two of them are awaiting that now: Rosemarie Hidalgo to be director of the Violence Against Women Office and Todd Gee to be U.S. legal professional for the Southern District of Mississippi.

The maintain doesn’t apply to U.S. Marshal nominees, Mr. Vance’s workplace stated, two of whom are additionally awaiting affirmation.

Mr. Trump pleaded not responsible Tuesday in a Miami courthouse to all 37 expenses associated to his dealing with of categorized paperwork after leaving workplace. The grand jury indictment got here from particular counsel Jack Smith’s investigation. 

Republicans who’ve accused the Biden administration of weaponizing the Justice Department in opposition to Mr. Trump applauded Mr. Vance.