Trump pushes for top prosecutor nominee Halligan after judge tosses Comey, James cases

President Donald Trump is pressing to get Lindsey Halligan confirmed arsenic U.S. lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia, weeks aft transgression cases against his foes James Comey and Letitia James were dismissed due to the fact that of Halligan's engagement successful their prosecutions.

But her information faces a apt fatal obstacle from the contented of alleged blue slips, which Republican senators garbage to wantonness contempt Trump's demands.

Halligan connected Wednesday submitted a 28-page questionnaire to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is liable for vetting U.S. lawyer picks. It was the archetypal enactment connected her information since Trump formally sent it to the Senate connected Sept. 30.

The questionnaire was sent much than 2 weeks aft a national justice disqualified her from serving arsenic interim U.S. lawyer for the Eastern District due to the fact that of the quality of her assignment to that role.

"She's the president's nominee. It is our anticipation that she is confirmed and submitting her questionnaire is portion of that process," White House property caput Karoline Leavitt told CNBC.

MS NOW archetypal reported that Halligan had submitted her questionnaire.

A spokesperson for the Judiciary panel's Republican bulk told CNBC successful a statement, "The Committee has not received bluish slips" from Virginia's senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, who are some Democrats.

Blue slips — virtually forms printed connected bluish insubstantial — for much than a period person fixed senators a important accidental implicit nominees for the judiciary and for U.S. attorneys successful their states.

"Nominees without bluish slips don't person the votes to beforehand retired of committee oregon get confirmed connected the Senate floor," the Judiciary spokesperson said.

Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has called the practice "a cardinal illustration of our strategy of checks and balances" that "prevents 1 enactment from jamming done nominees who don't align with the values successful the communities they would serve."

The Judiciary spokesperson said that Grassley "wants President Trump's nominees to beryllium successful."

Halligan had nary anterior prosecutorial acquisition erstwhile Trump tapped her to pb the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Instead, her ineligible vocation mostly focused connected security cases.

She antecedently worked arsenic a lawyer for Trump connected a national transgression lawsuit successful Florida, wherever helium was accused of illegally retaining classified documents, and connected Trump's defamation lawsuit against CNN.

Trump has repeatedly urged Republicans to wantonness the bluish slips rule, arguing that it undermines his quality to corroborate his preferred candidates for cardinal roles.

On Thursday morning, the president complained that the signifier is "making it intolerable to get large Republican Judges and U.S. Attorneys approved to service successful immoderate authorities wherever determination is adjacent a azygous Democrat Senator."

"If they accidental no, past it is OVER for that precise good qualified Republican candidate," Trump wrote connected Truth Social.

His station called retired Grassley by sanction for allowing the "scam" to continue.

Trump besides urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., "to get thing done, ideally the termination of Blue Slips."

Alina Habba, different erstwhile Trump lawyer whom helium picked to pb the U.S. Attorney's Office successful New Jersey, aboriginal this week discontinue that post, and blamed the "flawed bluish gaffe tradition" arsenic portion of her decision.

Habba likewise had antecedently been disqualified by a justice from serving arsenic the impermanent caput of the bureau due to the fact that of the quality of her appointment.

Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Halligan arsenic interim U.S. lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia connected Sept. 20, a time aft the anterior interim apical prosecutor, Erik Siebert, resigned nether unit from Trump.

Days later, Halligan presented grounds to a national expansive jury, which indicted Comey connected charges of making mendacious statements to Congress and obstructing a legislature proceeding.

In mid-October, Halligan obtained different expansive assemblage indictment against James, the lawyer wide of New York state, for allegedly filing mendacious claims connected owe records.

Comey and James person denied immoderate wrongdoing.

On Nov. 24, elder U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie dismissed some transgression cases, saying that Halligan's assignment was "defective" and that immoderate enactment flowing from her assignment "must beryllium acceptable aside."

Currie ruled that Halligan's installation violated a statutory mechanics for appointing interim U.S. attorneys.