Des Moines Sun

Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor in support of Jeanine Pirro’s nomination for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Grassley described Pirro as a “trailblazer” and criticized opposition to her nomination. He highlighted her career achievements, noting that she graduated from law school in 1975 and began prosecuting domestic abuse cases at a time when few women did so. Pirro was the first woman to serve as a judge in Westchester County Court, District Attorney for that county, and President of the New York State District Attorneys’ Association.

According to Grassley, “Her record is remarkable. She spent 27 years prosecuting criminals – and another three as a judge. In those three decades, Ms. Pirro gained a reputation for fierce advocacy against domestic abuse and crimes against children.”

Grassley also pointed out that Pirro helped create the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Bureau in Westchester County in 1977 and served as its first chief. She later created an Elder Abuse Bureau focused on crimes against elderly citizens. In the 1990s, she led one of the early law enforcement sting operations targeting online sexual predators.

“Her reputation was so widely known that online predators referred to suspected police officers in the internet chatrooms as ‘Pirro’s Boys,’” Grassley said.

He addressed criticism from Democratic senators about Pirro’s time as a television personality: “You may hear my Democrat colleagues criticize Ms. Pirro for some of her colorful remarks during her time as a TV personality. Yes, she has a larger-than-life personality. But she has [a] decades [long] distinguished record as a prosecutor and judge.”

Grassley noted that Pirro currently serves as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C., where her performance has been well received: “Her job in the interim role, where she is stationed now, has been heralded. She boosted morale.”

She also has backing from local law enforcement groups: “She has the support of the D.C. Police Union and the National Fraternal Order of Police,” Grassley said.

The Senate is expected to vote soon on Pirro’s nomination.