Appointing federal judges among Chuck Grassley’s priorities in GOP-controlled Senate

DES MOINES — Installing “constitutionalist” judges to federal courts will be one of Chuck Grassley’s primary objectives in the coming months, the Iowa Republican said Wednesday, given the new Republican majority in the Senate and President-elect Donald Trump in the White House come January.

Speaking to Iowa reporters Wednesday from Washington, D.C., Grassley said installing judges takes up about half the work of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Grassley once again will be chairman of that committee when the 119th Congress begins its work in January.

“Obviously, getting constitutionalist-type people on the Supreme Court and circuit court and the district courts,” Grassley said when asked what his top priorities will be once Republicans regain the Senate majority.

Republicans held the Senate majority throughout Trump’s first term in the White House. During those four years, Trump appointed 245 federal judges, including three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court — the most by a single president since Ronald Reagan’s two terms — and 54 judges to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Whether Trump will appoint more Supreme Court justices in his coming term remains an open question. Two of the conservative-majority court’s justices could be weighing retirement: Justice Clarence Thomas is 76, and Justice Samuel Alito is 74.

The 91-year-old Grassley, who as Judiciary chairman was at ground zero for the appointments of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch in 2017, Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and Amy Coney Barrett in 2020, was asked Wednesday whether he expects to be faced with more Supreme Court appointments in the next two years.

“I have no reason to expect that at this point. There’s usually one that comes vacant under every president, but it’s unpredictable,” Grassley said. “And, of course, if they resign, that’s their decision. If they die, that’s God’s decision.”

As for other priorities, Grassley said Congress needs to pass a new farm bill. If the new version is not approved by the end of the year, federal agriculture policy will revert to legislation from 1938 and 1949 — and to “combat crime” and “secure the border.”

Grassley also said as Judiciary chairman he will be working on the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The law, which was last extended in 2018, established a federal office to support local and state efforts to prevent delinquency and improve juvenile justice systems, according to the office’s website.

Ernst defeated in Senate leadership bid

Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s bid for a post in Senate Republican leadership was unsuccessful Wednesday.

Ernst ran for caucus leadership’s No. 3 position, Republican Conference chair, but lost to Arkansas U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton.

The internal vote was 35-18 in favor of Cotton, according to Politico.

Ernst was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. She recently served as chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Her loss in Wednesday’s election leaves her out of Senate Republican leadership in the next Congress.

Ernst in a social media post congratulated Senate Republicans’ new leadership team, including Cotton, and pledged the new Senate Republican majority is “ready to advance President Trump’s agenda and fulfill our mandate from the American people.”

Congratulations to my friends @SenJohnThune, @SenJohnBarrasso, @SenTomCotton, @SenCapito, @SenatorLankford, and @SenatorTimScott!

The @SenateGOP majority is ready to advance President Trump's agenda and fulfill our mandate from the American people.

Let’s get to work!

— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) November 13, 2024

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com

Get the latest Iowa politics and government coverage each morning in the On Iowa Politics newsletter.