Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Monday rescheduled a business meeting to consider 26 judicial nominations that are being blocked by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.
But it wasn’t clear Monday that Flake was ready to approve them. Flake has said he would oppose the remaining field of President Trump’s nominees until the Senate votes on a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired by Trump for political reasons.
Senate Republicans have continued to block that bill, and Flake has given no indication that he might soften his position and accept Trump’s nominees in the meantime.
If he holds to that position, Grassley may end up canceling the business meeting for the nominees, just as he scheduled a meeting a week ago only to cancel it in light of Flake’s opposition.
Flake’s vote is critical because the committee is made up of 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, and a “no” vote from Flake makes it impossible to approve any of Trump’s picks as long as Democrats vote together.
