Steve Grasz

[Harambe]

Should a lawyer rated by the bar association as "not qualified" sit as a federal appeals court judge?

"Not Qualified" was the unanimous decision amongst 14 members. The fifteenth member abstained from voting.

Im not sure this is a partisan issue. But please explain how it is, in detail, if I'm wrong.

 

[LogGrad98]

Link for those of us too lazy to google if it isn't really that interesting.

 

[Harambe]

Link for those of us too lazy to google if it isn't really that interesting.

Sure

Senate Judiciary panel splits along party lines over Omaha attorney Steve Grasz’s nomination to 8th U.S. Circuit Court

Bar Association declares Omaha attorney Steve Grasz 'not qualified' for 8th Circuit Court of Appeals seat

Trump Court Pick Rated ‘Not Qualified’ Sits Through Humiliating Senate Hearing

“I assume you’re keenly aware that you are the first Circuit Court nominee since 2006 to receive a unanimous ‘not qualified’ rating from the ABA?” [Sen. Sheldon ]Whitehouse asked Grasz. “And that the last nominee who had such a rating was withdrawn?”

“That is my understanding, senator,” replied Grasz.

Awkward! It only got worse.

“Do you think that this is a matter as to which the committee should have no concern?” asked Whitehouse.

“I have great respect for the amount of time and effort the American Bar Association put into the process,” said Grasz. “I respectfully disagree with the result.”

The Rhode Island senator noted that the ABA rated Grasz “not qualified’ in a unanimous 14-0 vote. He asked Grasz if he knew that was the tally.

“I’m not keenly aware of that,” said Grasz. “I believe there was one abstention.”

“That’s why it’s 14,” Whitehouse replied. “There are 15 of them.... It’s the full panel of 14 non-abstaining lawyers.”

Rebuttle from the whitehouse, was the ABA is partisan trash

White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley defended Grasz’s nomination.

“Steve Grasz is an outstanding lawyer, who has the full-throated support of the President, both U.S. Senators from Nebraska, and lawyers on each side of the political spectrum,” Gidley told HuffPost in a Wednesday statement. “The ABA claims to be non-partisan, but the facts show it cannot be trusted to fairly evaluate exceptional nominees.”

Where the partisanship claim is concerned, Senator Whitehouse did point out that 40 of the 42 judicial nominees Trump has put forward so far have gotten “qualified” or well qualified” ratings by the ABA.