Senator Grassley broke his word on judicial nominees

After promising to move judges forward in a timely fashion as Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Chuck Grassley has done the opposite. There are 21 nominees pending in his committee, many who have been waiting months or years. Even after the Oct. 21 hearings for two nominees from Iowa, they will still need to be voted out of committee, which will likely be delayed. That means 21 nominees are ready to serve, but needlessly sit by while court cases pile up and Americans are denied justice.

Senator Grassley has repeatedly and falsely stated the Senate has confirmed more judges during President Obama's time in office compared to the same point in President George W. Bush's tenure. In reality, Senator Grassley has slowed confirmations to a snail's pace. The Senate is on track to confirm the fewest number of judges since 1953, according to the Center for American Progress, with just nine judges confirmed since the beginning of Senator Grassley's chairmanship. That low number means that Senator Grassley is by far the least effective Judiciary Chair in the modern era. Unless Senator Grassley stops the delays and those numbers increase, his legacy will be one of delaying justice for Americans.

Of the 21 nominees pending judicial nominees in the Judiciary Committee, 13 are awaiting a committee hearing, and five have had a hearing but are awaiting a committee vote. Five of the nominees in committee are from districts that have been declared judicial emergencies, with thousands of cases delayed and Americans awaiting their day in court.

Senator Grassley promised to put forward nominees in the order they were nominated. The recent hearings for two Iowa nominees breaks that promise. We are thankful that Senator Grassley is taking action on his home state nominees, there are many others who have been waiting longer. And spending his committee's time leapfrogging two nominees in line will only result in more delays in court for the rest of the country.

Senator Grassley should lead responsibly and as he promised he would do. He has broken that promise, and broken the authority to set these nominees free and keep his promise to move judges forward in a timely fashion. The Why Courts Matter Iowa coalition will work together to ensure that Iowans have accurate and up-to-date information about each of these well-qualified nominees, and the historically slow pace at which they are being confirmed.

Hopefully Senator Grassley moves forward in the bipartisan way he promised to lead the Judiciary Committee. Hopefully he remembers the promises he made, and at long last lives up to them.

' Matt Sinovic is the executive director of Progress Iowa, a statewide organization focused on research, education and advocacy regarding Iowa public policy, that is part of the Why Courts Matter Iowa coalition. For more information visit whycourtsmatteriowa.org. Contact: matt@progressiowa.org