Republicans accused Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin Thursday of breaking committee rules by refusing to allow them to speak on two judicial nominees sent back from the Senate.
Two of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees previously approved by the committee, Mustafa T. Kasubhai for the District of Oregon and Eumi K. Lee for the Northern District of California, were sent back for a new vote earlier this month after the parliamentarian determined proper procedure had not been followed.
Durbin refused to allow multiple Republicans to speak ahead of a roll call vote Thursday, ignoring objections from Republicans who accused him of “destroying” the committee.
“You just destroyed one of the most important committees in the United States Senate,” Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn said. “Congratulations on destroying the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.”
“Is this an illegal vote?” Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn questioned.
Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham accused Durbin of trying to “ruin the committee over a political exercise.”
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“You’re gonna have a lot of consequences coming if you go down this road — I’ve cautioned a lot of you,” Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton said.
Durbin later responded that the parliamentarian had found the prior vote violated the rules due to a Republican’s objection.
“You didn’t have a majority present the last time we voted on these judges,” Cotton said. “It’s not some obscure technicality; incompetence on your part does not override the prerogatives of senators on our part.”
Republicans have slammed Kasubhai during previous hearings for his “radical” views on sexuality and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
“Many Biden nominees have been extreme, but your record is so far out of the mainstream that you have attracted virtually all of the questions,” Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said during Kasubhai’s confirmation hearing.
Kasubhai, currently a U.S. magistrate judge for the District of Oregon, advocates for the use of pronouns in the courtroom, according to his webpage.
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