WASHINGTON — Six Republican senators are threatening to try to block consideration of some of President Joe Biden’s key nominees to protest Donald Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 felony counts in New York state court.
The conservative senators say in a new letter that they “will not allow the fast-tracking of any Biden Article III court judicial nominees, as well as Biden U.S. attorney nominations.”
The threat is unlikely to have much practical impact, as the six senators regularly vote against Biden nominees to be judges and prosecutors and already tend to oppose agreements to fast-track them. Judicial nominees are rarely fast-tracked and don’t require GOP votes to be confirmed in the Democratic-controlled chamber. Still, the move represents a political desire to show devotion to Trump as he marches to a third successive presidential nomination and faces a rematch with Biden this fall.
The signers are JD Vance of Ohio, Mike Lee of Utah, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Eric Schmitt of Missouri. They say the letter is a “response to the current administration’s persecution of President Donald Trump.”
They didn't provide evidence that Biden was involved in the New York prosecution, which is a state matter that isn't overseen by the U.S. Justice Department.
Vance, the first signer on the letter, is a prospect to be Trump’s vice presidential running mate. All are Trump allies. Many other Trump allies in the Senate didn’t sign the letter.
Their statement points to a new litmus test for Republicans, one that could come up during future confirmation hearings and pressure other GOP senators to follow suit. Democrats control 51 votes in the chamber; 50 are required to confirm nominees.
Asked what would change as a result of the letter, Marshall said the goal was to attract more Republican support for rallying against Biden’s nominees.
“We’re just trying to increase the size of the army to stand up and fight against this weaponized judicial system of Joe Biden,” he said.
