McConnell: ‘Blue slips’ won’t block Trump judges

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made clear that Senate Republicans intend to get President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees confirmed no matter what obstacles the Democrats throw their way.

The Kentucky Republican has now confirmed he plans to move forward on judicial nominees even if home-state Democratic senators don’t return the so-called “blue slips” to the Judiciary Committee.

The general practice has been for the Judiciary Committee not to consider lifetime appointments to the federal bench without the acquiescence of the delegation, regardless of party. But it’s been a tradition rather than a rule.

Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, has previously signaled he could have some flexibility on enforcement of the tradition, especially for circuit court nominees.

Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer expressed hope that Grassley would not follow McConnell’s lead.

“The Senate has fewer and fewer mechanisms that create bipartisanship and bring people to an agreement. The blue slips are one of them. It’s just a shame that Senator McConnell is willing to abandon it for circuit court judges,” the New York Democrat said in a statement. “We hope that Chairman Grassley, who has always believed in the traditions of the Senate, will resist Senator McConnell’s request.”

The first flash point after McConnell’s comments could be over Trump’s choice of Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice David Stras to be a judge on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken is declining to the return the blue slip for the Stras nomination.