On Tuesday, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) announced that he will be holding up Department of Justice (DOJ) nominees, effective that same day. The move comes after the unprecedented indictment against former and potentially future President Donald Trump, whose arraignment in Miami also took place on Tuesday for his handling of classified documents. A press release from Vance referred to the matter as "unprecedented political prosecution."
"Donald Trump is merely the latest victim of a Department of Justice that cares more about politics than law enforcement. Merrick Garland’s department harasses Christians for pro-life advocacy, but allows hardened criminals to walk our streets unpunished. This must stop, and I will do everything in my ability to ensure it does," said Vance in a statement. "Starting today, I will hold all Department of Justice nominations. If Merrick Garland wants to use these officials to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, we will grind his department to a halt."
It isn't merely the targeting of Trump who Vance is concerned with. As Vance's statement and his press release alludes to, the DOJ has selectively targeted pro-life Christian activists. One prominent example was how Mark Houck, a husband and father of 7, was arrested last September while SWAT teams raided his home in the early morning hours, terrifying his wife and children. He was found not guilty in January on the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act charges brought against him, which local prosecutors had previously dismissed.
This is all while the DOJ largely ignores violent pro-abortion extremists who have targeted pro-life organizations and churches since someone leaked a draft of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in May of last year. The DOJ could also hardly be bothered to stand up properly for U.S. Supreme Court justices who were targeted, earning harsh criticism.
The FBI even looked to infiltrate Catholic churches, and is now facing a lawsuit as a result, along with the DOJ.
As POLITICO noted about the holds, Vance does not sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, so his actions will take place on the Senate floor.
Vance is not the only one looking to hold up nominees as a way to express concerns with the Biden administration. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has been holding up Defense nominees as a result of the Pentagon's illegal abortion policy.
These holds have also come on a bipartisan basis, as it was just revealed that Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) will be opposing the NIH nominee until President Joe Biden comes up with a drug-pricing plan. Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is also opposing EPA nominees.
As Vance's press release noted, holding up the nominees means they cannot be approved by unanimous consent. Rather, there will have to be a full Senate vote:
- Senator Vance’s hold on DOJ nominations will not apply to individuals nominated to the U.S. Marshals Service
- Senator Vance’s hold will prevent the Senate from quickly approving President Biden’s nominees by unanimous consent, as the Senate often does. Instead, nominees to the Department of Justice will require a floor vote in order to be confirmed by the Senate, which could make these nominations more difficult to approve.
Vance endorsed Trump for president in January of this year. Trump had endorsed Vance in the crowded Ohio Republican primary in April of last year, which saw Vance surging in the polls. He ultimately won the nomination and emerged victorious against former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) to replace then Sen. Rob Portman, the state's outgoing Republican senator.
The senator also posted a video message on Twitter explaining his move. He explained that the decision comes after he has heard from others "that they are so frustrated, as I am, with the fact that Merrick Garland has used the Department of Justice for politics instead of law." He added "I think it's time we stop whining about this problem and debating this problem and actually do something about it."
Vance also said that Garland has been using his nominees "clearly to harass his political opponents." He explained that he will "grind this department to a halt until Merrick Garland promises to do his job and stop going after his political opponents."
As Vance also emphasized, "Donald Trump is just one and the most recent example" of Merrick Garland using the DOJ "for political purposes."
He concluded by offering "let's make this department work a little bit more slowly until Merrick Garland changes course and actually does his job the right way."
Until Merrick Garland stops using his agency to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, I will hold all DoJ nominees. pic.twitter.com/UVRwi6Ue01
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) June 13, 2023