Sen. J.D. Vance announced Tuesday he will put a hold on all of President Biden’s Justice Department nominees in retribution for the agency prosecuting former President Donald Trump over his handling of classified documents.
Any one senator has the ability to slow-walk nominees, which means the Ohio Republican will force the Democratic-controlled Senate to eat up floor time with procedural and confirmation votes.
“I think it’s time we stop just whining about this problem and debating this problem and actually do something about it,” the freshman senator said in a video posted to Twitter.
“I think that we have to grind this department to a halt until [Attorney General] Merrick Garland promises to do his job and stop going after his political opponents,” he said.
Procedural and confirmation votes on Justice Department nominees only require a simple majority and will pass — assuming no Democrats defect — but the hold will throw a wrench in Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s schedule.
Justice Department nominees are often confirmed swiftly via unanimous consent, and two of them are awaiting that now: Rosemarie Hidalgo to be director of the Violence Against Women Office and Todd Gee to be U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The hold does not apply to U.S. Marshal nominees, Mr. Vance’s office said, two of whom are also awaiting confirmation.
Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a Miami courthouse to all 37 charges related to his handling of classified documents after leaving office. The grand jury indictment came from special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation.
Republicans who have accused the Biden administration of weaponizing the Justice Department against Mr. Trump applauded Mr. Vance.
“Action is the only way forward,” tweeted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican. “Stop the weaponized government and hold them accountable!”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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