The Senate confirmed President Trump
Donald John TrumpChelsea Clinton announces birth of third child Ukrainian officials and Giuliani are sharing back-channel campaign information: report Trump attacks 'the Squad' as 'racist group of troublemakers' MORE's nominee for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday despite objections from both home-state senators. Harris, in a tweet after the vote, called Bress's confirmation a "degradation of Senate institutional norms at the hands of Republican leaders."
Donald John TrumpChelsea Clinton announces birth of third child Ukrainian officials and Giuliani are sharing back-channel campaign information: report Trump attacks 'the Squad' as 'racist group of troublemakers' MORE's nominee for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday despite objections from both home-state senators. Senators split in a 53-45 vote along party lines to confirm Daniel Bress as a judge to the San Francisco-based appeals court. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth GillibrandHarris faces pressure to define policy proposals Democratic strategist predicts most 2020 candidates will drop out in late fall The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump hits media over 'send her back' coverage MORE (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders'Medicare for All': The hype v. Maryland's reality Biden says he supports paying campaign staff minimum wage Biden's lead narrows in early voting states: poll MORE (I-Vt.), both of whom are running for president, didn't vote.
Kirsten Elizabeth GillibrandHarris faces pressure to define policy proposals Democratic strategist predicts most 2020 candidates will drop out in late fall The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump hits media over 'send her back' coverage MORE (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie SandersBernie Sanders'Medicare for All': The hype v. Maryland's reality Biden says he supports paying campaign staff minimum wage Biden's lead narrows in early voting states: poll MORE (I-Vt.), both of whom are running for president, didn't vote. ADVERTISEMENT
Republicans have come under fierce scrutiny for moving Bress's nomination even though neither Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Emiel FeinsteinTop Democrats demand security assessment of Trump properties Democrats warm to idea of studying reparations Hillicon Valley: Senators unload on Facebook cryptocurrency plan | Trump vows to 'take a look' at Google's ties to China | Google denies working with China's military | Tech execs on defensive at antitrust hearing | Bill would bar business with Huawei MORE (D-Calif.) nor Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi HarrisThe Hill's Morning Report — Mueller Time: Dems, GOP ready questions for high-stakes testimony Biden's lead narrows in early voting states: poll New CBS poll shows Biden with 7-point lead in New Hampshire MORE (D-Calif.) returned a blue slip on his nomination.
Dianne Emiel FeinsteinTop Democrats demand security assessment of Trump properties Democrats warm to idea of studying reparations Hillicon Valley: Senators unload on Facebook cryptocurrency plan | Trump vows to 'take a look' at Google's ties to China | Google denies working with China's military | Tech execs on defensive at antitrust hearing | Bill would bar business with Huawei MORE (D-Calif.) nor Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisThe Hill's Morning Report — Mueller Time: Dems, GOP ready questions for high-stakes testimony Biden's lead narrows in early voting states: poll New CBS poll shows Biden with 7-point lead in New Hampshire MORE (D-Calif.) returned a blue slip on his nomination."I’m very disappointed that Republican leadership decided to schedule a vote on Mr. Bress's nomination given both of our objections to his nomination and our concerns about a lack of connection to our state," Feinstein said ahead of Tuesday's vote to confirm Bress.
In addition the blue-slip fight, Feinstein raised concerns that Bress doesn't have sufficient ties to California to be appointed to one of the state's seats on the 9th Circuit.
The blue-slip rule — a precedent upheld by Senate tradition — has historically allowed a home-state senator to stop a lower court nominee from being confirmed by refusing to return the blue slip to the Judiciary Committee. How strictly the precedent is upheld is decided by the committee chairman, and enforcement has varied depending on who wields the gavel.
But Republicans argue that the blue slip, a sheet of paper that indicates whether a senator supports a nominee, shouldn't be allowed to blackball an appeals court pick because circuits cover multiple states.
Bress is the 42nd Trump circuit court nominee confirmed by the Senate since 2017, as Republicans have set a record pace for sending picks to the influential courts.
He's also one of several nominations Republicans have moved despite objections from both home-state senators, including confirming Daniel Collins and Kenneth Lee to California seats on the 9th Circuit.
Neither Feinstein nor Harris supported any of their nominations to the 9th Circuit.
Republicans praised Trump's pick for the court, which has been a perennial source of annoyance for conservatives who view it as too liberal and too large.
"Mr. Bress comes with strong credentials: the academic pedigree, the legal experience and most importantly a demonstrated commitment to the rule of law," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellThe Hill's Morning Report — Mueller Time: Dems, GOP ready questions for high-stakes testimony Election security to take back seat at Mueller hearing McConnell challenger faces tougher path after rocky launch MORE (R-Ky.) said, defending Bress ahead of the vote.
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellThe Hill's Morning Report — Mueller Time: Dems, GOP ready questions for high-stakes testimony Election security to take back seat at Mueller hearing McConnell challenger faces tougher path after rocky launch MORE (R-Ky.) said, defending Bress ahead of the vote. Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamThe Hill's Morning Report — Mueller Time: Dems, GOP ready questions for high-stakes testimony Democrats should rise above and unify against Trump's tweets US-Saudi Arabia policy needs a dose of 'realpolitik' MORE (R-S.C.) called Bress a "fine man," adding that he's "very pleased that the United States Senate has confirmed Daniel Bress to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals."
