President Joe Biden‘s nominee to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Rachel Bloomekatz, is deadlocked in a vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee after Republicans were critical of her past work on gun control-related cases during her confirmation hearing.
The committee tied in a 10-10 vote Thursday that was divided evenly between Democratic and Republican members. The deadlock will only prolong her confirmation process by requiring the full Senate to hold an extra vote to move her nomination forward.
Bloomekatz‘s history as a co-counsel with Everytown for Gun Safety in several cases was criticized by committee members Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) during her June confirmation hearing.
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Blackburn argued the gun control organization opposes “constitutional carry,” and Kennedy inquired whether Bloomekatz supports the political leanings of Everytown.
“I believe, senator, that, as a nominee to the federal bench, it would be inappropriate to express personal opinions,” the nominee said in June before Kennedy interrupted her answer.
“I don’t want you not to have personal beliefs and values,” Kennedy said, adding, “If you haven’t thought about this, you aren’t qualified for the bench.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) defended Bloomekatz on Thursday, praising her educational background from Harvard University and the University of California Los Angeles Law School.
Bloomekatz “clerked for three judges, including Justice [Stephen] Breyer on the Supreme Court. … [She has] strong support across the [political] spectrum. In fact, the Committee has received multiple letters of support signed by those who self-identify as ideological conservatives,” Durbin said.
It’s not rare for judicial nominees to receive tie votes by the committee that are evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, nor does it prevent their ability to be confirmed.
The committee previously deadlocked in April over the vote for then-Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, who became the first black woman on the high court in late June.
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Meanwhile, the committee voted Thursday to advance Doris L. Pryor to the 7th Circuit on Thursday, along with three judicial nominees to the District of Puerto Rico and a nominee to the District Court for the District of Columbia.
Bloomekatz presently works in private practice at an Ohio-based law firm she founded and previously worked as state counsel for the state’s branch of Biden’s presidential campaign.
