Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of Judge Michael Brennan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, ignoring the longstanding “blue slip” tradition that ensures home state senators – regardless of their party affiliation – have a say on federal court nominees. LCV urged senators to oppose Brennan’s nomination and Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld released the following statement:

“Chairman Grassley showed utter disregard for the blue slip by holding a vote on Michael Brennan despite Senator Baldwin not returning her blue slip. The long-standing tradition of respecting the right of home-state senators to withhold their blue slip is key to ensuring we have fair and qualified judges on the federal bench. It’s outrageous to see Senator Grassley and Republicans rubberstamping President Trump’s extreme nominees like Brennan at such a rapid pace. The damage these lifetime appointments can do to the environment and public health cannot be overstated.”