Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said Wednesday that there is still enough time to fill the vacancy on the D.C. Circuit left by Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s promotion—but the White House must act immediately.
“Is there time for a nominee to come out of the White House and be confirmed by the end of the year for the D.C. Circuit nomination,” conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt asked Grassley on his program.
Just had @ChuckGrassley tell me that if WH sends a nominee for the Kavanaugh vacancy on the D.C. Cicuit this week, it can be acted on this year. Close strong @realDonaldTrump and Don McGahn. Second most important court in the U.S. (Hint: Neomi Rao.)
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) October 10, 2018
“If we received it right now, the answer is yes,” Grassley replied, “but just before Christmas. So it kind of depends upon how long we’ll be in session.”
The chairman said if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell keeps the Senate in session, there could potentially be dozens of new federal judges.
“There’s 41 [nominees] on the calendar right now, and I think there’s 10 in our committee,” he said. “And I think hopefully, I get the 10 out of our committee. But McConnell ought to keep the Senate in session until we get all 41 of those judges done. Or if you want to add 10 more to it, add 10 more to it.”
Audio/transcript: This AM intv w/ @ChuckGrassley re Justice Kavanaugh replacement on DC Circuit, the mob politics of past month, @HillaryClinton comments, #Kashoggi disappearance: https://t.co/7UFLEbtYWg
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) October 10, 2018
McConnell has had a laser focus on reshaping the nation's circuit courts, so hopefully he heeds Grassley's advice.