Jeanine Pirro advances for full Senate consideration after redo vote
jeanine Pirro, former Fox News host, has moved closer to becoming the permanent U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved her nomination in a follow-up vote. The initial vote last week was invalidated due to a Democratic walkout that broke the quorum. Pirro, currently serving in an acting capacity, was approved along party lines (12-10) by the Republican-led committee. The nomination has been highly contentious, with Democrats criticizing Pirro for her past remarks about January 6 defendants, questioning her impartiality, and criticizing changes she has made in the U.S. attorney’s office. Republicans defended her qualifications and expressed confidence in her leadership. The full Senate now must vote on her confirmation, were Democrats might attempt to block her, though they would likely need Republican support to do so.
Jeanine Pirro advances for full Senate consideration after redo vote
Former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro moved one step closer to becoming the permanent U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved her nomination Thursday in a redo vote triggered by a Democratic walkout last week.
Pirro, who is currently serving in the role on an acting basis, was reported out of the Republican-led committee by a 12-10 party-line vote. She and several other Trump administration picks for U.S. attorney roles were intended to advance on July 17, but the vote was later deemed invalid due to the absence of a quorum caused by Democrats staging a protest over another nominee.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said the panel re-voted after consulting with the Senate parliamentarian.
In addition to Pirro, the committee advanced Erik Siebert to lead the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia, along with several others via voice vote. However, multiple Democrats requested to be recorded as voting “no” on specific nominees.
The meeting was interrupted by protesters who shouted objections to Pirro’s nomination, reflecting the deep partisan divide over her selection.
Democrats on the committee delivered blistering statements accusing Pirro of being unfit to lead the Justice Department office responsible for prosecuting January 6 cases and overseeing major federal investigations in the nation’s capital.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) criticized Pirro for once suggesting Jan. 6 defendants were political “hostages,” questioning her impartiality and alleging she supported the firing of career prosecutors handling riot-related cases.
“She initially condemned the January 6 rioters and their attack on the Capitol, and then did an about-face,” Durbin said, pointing to Pirro’s televised remarks and recent personnel changes within the D.C. U.S. attorney’s office.
Pirro’s Democratic-appointed predecessor, Matthew Graves, was responsible for bringing hundreds of federal charges against Jan. 6 defendants, dozens of which were subject to revision after the Supreme Court decided last year that obstruction charges he tacked on to several cases were an overbroad misuse of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2).
Other Democrats, including Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), questioned Pirro’s qualifications and ethics, claiming that she endorsed Trump’s views about irregularities in the 2020 election and citing her history as a media personality and a past federal investigation involving her ex-husband.
“This is not someone who cares about crimes of sexual assault and sexual harassment,” Hirono said. “She is someone who cares about political revenge.”
JEANINE PIRRO SWEARING-IN OVERSHADOWED BY TENSE QUESTIONS TRUMP ON FOREIGN POLICY
Republicans defended Pirro’s nomination and expressed confidence in her ability to lead the D.C. U.S. attorney’s office. Grassley submitted a statement of support into the record, and no GOP senators spoke against her during the hearing.
Pirro now awaits a full Senate vote on her confirmation, when Democrats could attempt to block her nomination, although they would likely need to sway at least one Republican to do so.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
