Des Moines Sun

Senate Democrats have blocked the confirmation of 10 U.S. Attorney nominees, preventing them from serving in districts across the country. The nominees had advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by voice vote but remain unconfirmed due to what Republicans describe as a blanket hold imposed by Democrats at the start of the second Trump administration.

On Wednesday, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested unanimous consent for confirmation of these nominees. However, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), ranking member of the committee, objected to Grassley’s request. This action has left several communities without their top federal law enforcement official, including Minnesota, which recently experienced a mass shooting.

Grassley highlighted that Daniel Rosen, nominated for U.S. Attorney in Minnesota and supported by both Democratic senators from that state, remains unconfirmed. “We have 10 highly qualified nominees on the Senate floor right now waiting for confirmation, and there is no reason that we shouldn’t get them to work for the American people today,” Grassley said during his remarks.

Durbin defended his objection by referencing precedent set during the Biden administration when then-Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) placed a limited hold on a few U.S. Attorney nominations. Durbin noted previous opposition to such holds: “Law enforcement is a team effort, and we need officials at the federal, state, and local level working together to stop crime in this country and to keep people safe. And when it’s delayed – putting professionals in place – that delay can cost lives. You can’t stand up and say, ‘I don't want to defund the police,’ and then refuse to fill vacancies when it comes to law enforcement. That’s inconsistent,” Durbin said on February 16, 2022.

He added on March 30, 2022: “Don’t lecture me on law and order if you are coming to the floor to prevent qualified law enforcement professionals from helping the Justice Department combat violent crime… It doesn’t take political courage to harm an innocent person.”

According to Grassley and Republican leadership, under President Biden’s administration nearly all U.S. Attorneys were confirmed through expedited voice votes—a process that has not occurred so far under President Trump’s second term.

The list of nominees affected includes:

- Daniel Rosen for Minnesota

- Erik Siebert for Eastern District of Virginia

- David Metcalf for Eastern District of Pennsylvania

- David Waterman for Southern District of Iowa

- Ronald A. Parsons Jr. for South Dakota

- Bart McKay Davis for Idaho

- Kurt Alme for Montana

- Nicolas Chase for North Dakota

- Lesley Murphy for Nebraska

- Kurt Wall for Middle District of Louisiana

Some nominees received support from Democratic senators via blue slips—a tradition indicating approval by home-state senators.

Grassley criticized what he called “blanket obstruction” by Senate Democrats as unprecedented and argued it puts public safety at risk nationwide: “This sweeping obstruction… includes even highly qualified U.S. Attorneys that are supported by Democratic Senators.” He cited recent polling showing concerns about crime among Americans and referenced recent tragic events as examples where prompt appointment could be crucial.

He concluded with an appeal: “My priority is the safety of the American people. And that priority should be shared by all Members of this body... Debate and disagreement about policy is to be expected, but it should never come at the expense of public safety.”