Six Republicans in the United States Senate will block President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees in response to the Biden administration's treatment of President Donald Trump.
The elected officials say Biden has encouraged “radical lawfare against President Trump and other political opponents” in a new letter signed by Senators J.D. Vance of Ohio, Mike Lee of Utah, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Eric Schmitt of Missouri.
“In a continuing response to the current administration's persecution of President Donald Trump, we will not allow the fast-tracking of any Biden Article III court judicial nominees, as well as Biden U.S. attorney nominations,” wrote the senators. “Further, we will not permit the fast-tracking of nominees who have suggested the Trump prosecutions were reasonable, endorsed President Trump’s guilt in these sham proceedings, joined or supported organizations that celebrate the indictment of President Trump, supported the ‘get-Trump’ candidacy of Alvin Bragg, or supported lawfare or censorship in other ways.”
The senators added that it was not their “intent to bring any single nominee disrepute” but warned that they would “prosecute a forceful public case” if their “rights are challenged on the floor of the U.S. Senate.”
The move follows a similar declaration from eight other Senate Republicans on May 31 – the day after Trump was convicted in New York. The group announced they would stop cooperative legislative efforts.
“Strongly worded statements are not enough. Those who turned our judicial system into a political cudgel must be held accountable,” said Lee. “We are no longer cooperating with any Democrat legislative priorities or nominations, and we invite all concerned Senators to join our stand.”
Lee, Vance, Schmitt, Marshall, Hagerty and Tuberville were joined by Senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Rick Scott of Florida, and Marco Rubio of Florida.
The group affirmed that the Biden administration has made a “mockery of the rule of law and fundamentally altered our politics in un-American ways.”
“As a Senate Republican Conference, we are unwilling to aid and abet this White House in its project to tear this country apart,” the group wrote. They vowed to oppose any increase in non-security related funding or any appropriations bill that “funds partisan lawfare.”
The lawmakers also promised they would not confirm any of Biden’s political or judicial appointees and would not allow the expedited passage of “Democrat legislation or authorization that are not directly relevant to the safety of the American people.”
