Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer mentioned on Wednesday that he would block the development of President Trump’s nominees for the highest federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which handles the nominations for federal prosecutors, judges and U.S. marshals, usually waits to start the method till receiving a “blue slip” sign-off from senators within the states the place the people are nominated to serve.
Schumer (D-Manhattan), the Home minority chief, mentioned he would withhold his sign-off to halt Trump’s former Securities and Alternate Fee chief Jay Clayton from turning into the brand new U.S. legal professional for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan and former Lengthy Island federal Decide Joseph Nocella, Jr. from main the Jap District of New York prosecutor’s workplace in Brooklyn.
Mark Wilson/Getty Photos
Jay Clayton, then-Chairman of the Securities and Alternate Fee, testifies throughout a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee listening to on Capitol Hill Might 8, 2019, in Washington. (Mark Wilson/Getty Photos)
“Such blatant and depraved political motivations are deeply corrosive to the rule of law and leaves me deeply skeptical of Donald Trump’s intentions for these important positions. For that reason, I will not return the blue slip for the U.S. Attorney nominees for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.”
Schumer’s announcement, certain to rankle Trump, comes after the senator confronted intense backlash final month for pushing by a Republican plan to avert a authorities shutdown within the face of opposition from Democratic allies who urged him to dam the Trump-supported measure. Solely 10 out of 47 Democrats sided with him in a procedural vote on the stopgap spending plan to maintain the federal government open previous a midnight deadline, resulting in deafening criticism Schumer had betrayed Democrats determined to see their get together struggle Trump’s and billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to intestine the federal authorities.
President Donald Trump speaks through the Commander-in-Chief trophy presentation to the Navy Midshipmen soccer staff within the East Room of the White Home, Tuesday in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee, lately informed The New York Instances that he would honor blue slip positions “if they are from the state the nomination comes from.”
Inside weeks of profitable the 2024 presidential election, Trump mentioned he would set up his former SEC chief Clayton, his frequent {golfing} buddy, as the brand new U.S. legal professional for Manhattan, snubbing long-held traditions by tapping somebody for the function with none expertise in prison prosecution or on the prestigious workplace.
Trump’s meddling within the Manhattan workplace provoked a disaster of management. After former Manhattan U.S. Legal professional Damian Williams stepped down a month earlier than Trump’s taking workplace, Trump changed Williams’ deputy who stepped into the function, Edward Kim, with Danielle Sassoon, a veteran prosecutor with vital Republican bona fides.
Sassoon resigned a few weeks later fairly than obey orders from the Trump administration to desert the since-tossed public corruption prosecution of Mayor Adams. Interim U.S. Legal professional Matthew Podolsky is presently main the Southern District workplace.
Trump mentioned he wished Nocella, a Nassau county choose with robust ties to the Republican get together and former Brooklyn federal prosecutor, for the Brooklyn gig in early January.
Clayton and Nocella couldn’t be reached for remark.
Initially Printed: April 16, 2025 at 1:47 PM EDT
