An anonymous Republican senator has reportedly expressed concern about 91-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassely, R-Iowa, reclaiming his position as chair of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee should the GOP take control of the upper chamber.
Whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris wins in November, the next Senate Judiciary Committee Chair could oversee several Supreme Court nominations and other judicial picks.
The unnamed GOP senator, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke to Punchbowl News on condition of anonymity, questioning Grassley’s ability to strongly combat against the committee’s highest ranking Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, as well as a White House led by Harris.
“Chuck is extremely sharp. A lot of it is just his disposition — he’s not a knife fighter. He’s just too genteel for that,” the senator said. “I’ve watched Durbin operate, and he is good at his job. He will not hesitate.”
Though several senators and aides reportedly doubt Grassley’s ability as a “fighter” to take on likely attacks on future Trump Supreme Court nominations, Punchbowl News said their concern was not the same as what the Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., faced. She stepped down as the committee’s top Democrat in 2020.
Progressives shredded Feinstein’s handling of the nominations of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and the senator also faced questions about her mental fitness.
Another GOP senator told Punchbowl News that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito possibly could retire next year, and Democrats have worried about Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s health.
“The stakes are going to be high,” that senator told Punchbowl News.
Those who defend Grassley note how the nonagenarian guided prior Trump Supreme Court nominations through their Senate confirmation hearings despite intense backlash from Democrats and other groups.
They also credit the eight-term senator for the current Supreme Court conservative majority, as Grassley and other GOP senators in 2016 decided to forgo the hearings needed to advance Merrick Garland’s nomination to the high court. That effort, however, was largely led by then-Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
“No one is better prepared to lead the Senate Judiciary Committee than Senator Grassley,” Clare Slattery, a spokesperson for Grassley, told Fox News Digital. “He has a proven track record of success, having confirmed an historic number of constitutionally-sound judges, and he continues to set the gold standard for congressional oversight and investigations.”
“Simply put, nobody outworks Chuck Grassley,” she said. “Senator Grassley looks forward to continuing to deliver on his rock solid conservative record as Judiciary Chairman in the next Republican Senate Majority.”
“Even at age 91, Grassley runs circles around his colleagues,” Mike Davis, Grassley’s former chief counsel for nominations, told Punchbowl News. “It is wishful thinking if people think he’s not going to be the next Republican chair of Senate Judiciary. Trump will be very happy it’s Grassley because Grassley has proven he’s very effective for Trump.”
“Would any other senator have been able to do what Grassley did?” Michael Zona, a former top Grassley aide, said to Punchbowl News. “Has anyone had more success in confirming judges than Grassley? Who else has demonstrated they won’t buckle under political pressure more than Grassley?”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the current ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is second in seniority to Grassley, who right now is the highest ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee.
Graham, who some conservatives fear as a potential chair of the Judiciary Committee given his record of voting for Democrat judicial picks, told Punchbowl News on Monday he holds “all the confidence in the world in Sen. Grassley’s ability to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee.”
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