The president nominated Stras in May, along with several other nominees who have now been confirmed to the bench. Upon learning that a judge from his home state had been nominated, Franken expressed dismay over not being consulted by the White House. (The White House, however, has a different story.)
At the hearing, Franken complained that Grassley had failed to honor the traditional use of blue slips and the process for selecting nominees (a sentiment echoed by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.).
Franken repeatedly referenced the Federalist Society and The Heritage Foundation, saying, “the groups picking the judges, they know what they’re getting.”
Franken and some other senators seem to be mistaken about who actually picks nominees. For the record, it’s the president and his team in the White House Counsel’s office—not senators or organizations like ours.