Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is now using the same hardball move once wielded by Republican Sen. JD Vance to stall the confirmation of Trump’s picks for top federal prosecutor jobs.
Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is blocking the confirmation of Jason Reding Quiñones, Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida. And he’s not ruling out doing the same for other Trump nominees.
“In doing so, Durbin would create a procedural hurdle that would likely slow Quiñones’ confirmation at a time when the Trump administration has yet to confirm any U.S. attorney nominees in the Senate,” Politico reported.
Durbin said he’s following the playbook Vance used during the Biden administration. Back then, Vance blocked all Justice Department nominees after Trump was indicted for a second time. “There is now a new precedent for roll call votes on the Floor for confirming U.S. Attorney nominees,” Durbin said on the Senate floor Thursday. “As I’ve said time and time again—there cannot be one set of rules for Republicans and another set for Democrats.”
JD Vance, now Trump’s running mate, made headlines during Biden’s term by refusing to let any DOJ nominees through after Trump’s indictment. At the time, Vance said he would hold up “every Department of Justice nominee” in protest.
But Republicans are now crying foul.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, pushed back hard, saying Vance did not set any precedent. “Placing a blanket hold on all U.S. Attorney nominees before the Trump administration has filled even a single one of the 93 Attorneys’ Offices would constitute an aggressive, unprecedented attack on the American criminal justice system,” Grassley said.
He added, “Holds should be used selectively. Blanket holds intended to wholly obstruct the confirmation process are misguided and threaten to undermine the Senate’s advice and consent role.”
Durbin doesn’t seem fazed. He’s using the GOP’s own tactics against them—and sending a clear message: what’s fair for Republicans is fair for Democrats.
