President Donald Trump lashed out at Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley for supporting a long-standing Senate tradition of allowing his state's senators to block judicial nominations.
The 79-year-old president fumed on “Truth Social” against 92-year-old Senate Judiciary Chairman Grassley over the so-called “blue sheet” custom, which Trump called “ancient and ridiculous” and claimed was unfairly used and abused by Democrats.
“I have eight great American lawyers, all highly respected, who will not be confirmed to offices in various high-impact states just because they are Republicans, and the Democrats have convinced Chuck Grassley to respect the silly and outdated 'blue sheet' tradition that prevents very talented and dedicated people from obtaining high office,” Trump wrote.
Sen. Chuck Grassley vowed to keep the blue-sheet tradition alive. / (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Democrats violated this to get people to join, but Republicans did not. These great men's careers were severely harmed by radical left Democrats who completely exploited an ancient and ridiculous custom to their advantage. What a shame!”
The “blue sheet” process is a decades-old Senate tradition that gives senators from the nominee's home state the opportunity to object to federal judicial nominations. The practice is named after the blue form sent to senators to express approval or disapproval.
In August, Democratic New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim opposed Trump loyalist Alina Haba's nomination to be U.S. prosecutor in New Jersey, forcing the president to withdraw the nomination of their former lawyer. Later, before a federal judge ruled that Haba was illegally serving as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, Trump attempted a complex strategy to keep Haba in the job without Senate approval.
The blue slip was used to prevent Alina Haba from becoming the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey. /Spencer Pratt/Getty Images
Hours later, Trump returned to the topic of the blue sheet in a late-night social media rant.
“The 'Blue Slip' means that if you are a Republican president and the state where you are appointing a U.S. Attorney or District Court Judge happens to have only one Democratic Senator, you will never succeed in getting a Republican confirmed,” Trump posted.
“In other words, the 'blue slip' is a disaster, and I have eight great Republican candidates for U.S. Attorney who will fail to serve the people of a state that voted overwhelmingly for me.”
Trump also blasted Grassley in August for refusing to do away with the blue sheet process and leaving in place a process that would advance judicial nominations only after both state senators approve a candidate.
“Chuck Grassley should allow strong Republican candidates to serve in these very important and powerful roles and tell the Democrats, as they often tell us, to hell with it!” Trump said in a tirade on The Truth Society.
Grassley defended herself against the president's attacks in a provocative X post in August.
“A U.S. Attorney/District Judge nominee without a blue sheet will not receive the votes to be confirmed in the Senate, nor will he receive the votes to exit the Senate. [committee]”, Grassley posted. “As Chairman, I set the stage for President Trump's nomination to succeed, not fail. “
The Daily Beast has reached out to Grassley's office for comment.