Des Moines Sun

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) again sought unanimous consent to confirm 10 U.S. Attorney nominees who had advanced through the Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. The request was blocked by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), preventing their confirmation.

“As I explained just a few days ago, communities around our country are in desperate need of U.S. Attorneys to protect the public and uphold the rule of law. Eighty-one percent of Americans think that crime in large cities is a major problem,” Grassley said on the Senate floor.

“For months, I’ve repeatedly tried to engage my Democratic colleagues to end their obstruction. I’ve warned that their tactics ultimately hurt the American people and will lead to lasting damage to the Senate as an institution ... I’m disappointed that my Democratic colleagues have chosen to place partisan obstruction over public safety,” Grassley continued.

According to Grassley, these nominees have been stalled on the Senate floor for months due to what he called historic obstruction by Senate Democrat leadership, which has included a hold on all 93 U.S. Attorney positions. After Schumer objected, Grassley requested unanimous consent for only two nominees: Daniel Rosen for Minnesota and David Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa. Both were also blocked.

Daniel Rosen’s nomination received support from Minnesota’s senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and would play a role in responding to the Annunciation Catholic Church mass shooting incident, where two children were killed and 18 others injured. David Waterman was previously nominated during President Joe Biden’s administration.

Schumer and Judiciary Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) have previously opposed such holds, stating they undermine safety and are not sustainable practices in managing federal appointments. On February 16, 2022, Schumer said on the Senate floor: “U.S. Attorneys and Marshals aren’t political positions – their job is literally to keep Americans safe. They are federal prosecutors. They are federal law enforcement... Delaying the appointment of U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals over cheap partisan games ultimately makes Americans less safe and weakens law enforcement.”

Durbin stated on September 11, 2024: “[Senate Republicans] are putting us on the path to requiring cloture and confirmation votes for every U.S. Attorney nominee. This is entirely unsustainable, which is something everyone here knows. Without Senate-confirmed leadership of U.S. Attorneys, public safety will suffer across the United States.”

The list of blocked nominees includes Daniel Rosen (Minnesota), Erik Siebert (Eastern District of Virginia), David Metcalf (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), David Waterman (Southern District of Iowa), Ronald A. Parsons Jr. (South Dakota), Bart McKay Davis (Idaho), Kurt Alme (Montana), Nicolas Chase (North Dakota), Lesley Murphy (Nebraska), and Kurt Wall (Middle District of Louisiana). Several received blue slips from Democratic senators indicating home-state approval.

Grassley criticized Democrats’ comparison between current blanket holds on all attorney nominations with previous Republican actions holding up only a few nominations during prior administrations; he argued this situation is unprecedented in scope.

Grassley reiterated his willingness for compromise but expressed disappointment at continued opposition from Democratic leadership.

He concluded his remarks urging prompt action so that qualified nominees could address ongoing public safety concerns without further delay.