Senate Judiciary Argues About Blue Slips for Circuit Nominees

Partisan frictions erupted at a Senate Judiciary hearing over the Democratic White House’s negotiations with Republicans on appellate court nominees.

Kevin Ritz, who’s the US Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, received no support from the panel’s GOP minority Thursday after his Republican home-state senators alleged at Ritz’s April 17 confirmation hearing that the Biden administration didn’t properly consult them before his nomination.

Before the vote, Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee rehashed accusations of a “backroom deal” by the White House to sidestep the input of the state’s Republican senators. She said the two GOP lawmakers had shared recommendations ...