Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has asked the White House to reconsider two judicial picks who have a history of controversial comments.
Jeff Mateer, nominated to become a federal judge in Texas, once said that transgender children are part of "Satan's plan." Brett Talley, nominated to be a federal judge in Alabama, reportedly once defended the KKK in an online post. Talley also failed to disclose his wife had a top White House job, which goes without saying is a conflict of interest.
"I've advised the White House they ought to reconsider," Grassley told CNN following a Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday. "I would advise the White House not to proceed."
Another Republican, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), came out against Talley's nomination, after voting against Gregory Katsas for a seat on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
"I think the president of the United States is getting some very, very bad advice,” Kennedy said last month.
Of course, Democrats have had plenty of concerns of their own about Trump's judicial picks.
Trump has been hard pressed to get his judicial picks confirmed. More than one of his nominees have been subjected to religious litmus tests during their confirmation hearings because of their pro-life beliefs. Before being confirmed to the 7th Circuit Court, Amy Coney Barrett was interrogated about her Catholicism. "The dogmas lives loudly" in her, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said at the time. Even Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, when he was still in the hot seat, was asked whether his conservative beliefs would conflict with his rulings. Could he still respect the "super precedent" of Roe v. Wade, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee panel wondered.
The American Bar Association has also had plenty to say about Trump's judicial nominations. The organization has expressed its disappointment in at least four nominees.
