Third Circuit Nominee Tries to Walk Back Past Comments, Writing
Porter appeared before the Judiciary Committee Wednesday despite not receiving the approval of Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. Under the tradition known as the blue slip, the committee has in the past declined to schedule hearings for nominees who do not receive the approval of both of their home state senators.
But Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Iowa Republican who chairs the committee, has said he will not allow a single senator to hold up a judicial nomination unless they show the White House did not consult them on a vacancy.
In an April statement on the Pittsburgh attorney’s nomination, Casey said the White House nominated Porter despite Casey’s clearly articulated objections to his record. In another statement on Wednesday, Casey noted he signed off on Trump’s other nominee to the Third Circuit, Judge Stephanos Bibas, despite concerns about his judicial philosophy.
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