Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Monday accused Republican leaders of going out of their way to make Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley look productive, even as Grassley is blocking a hearing on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.
“There may be a few reasons that I don’t see for the Judiciary Committee to be given a few pats on the back,” Reid said Monday on the Senate floor. “The committee does not deserve any pats on the back at this stage.”
Reid accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of scheduling a vote on a bill from Grassley’s committee to help provide some political cover to Grassley, whom Reid regularly attacks over refusing to consider Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Reid backed up his complaint with quotes from Iowa’s Des Moines Register, in an apparent attempt to cultivate in-state criticism of the senator in an election year.
McConnell used his opening remarks to talk about the Defend Trade Secrets Act, which is expected to pass with broad bipartisan support, and to compliment Grassley on the bill.
“Since the new majority took office, Senator Grassley has been a highly effective legislator as chairman of the judiciary committee, from comprehensive legislation to address America’s opioid epidemic, to protecting the victims of modern slavery, to today’s efforts to support American innovation,” McConnell said. “He has received widespread praise from both sides of the aisle for leading a very productive committee. Senator Grassley is a hard worker and he’s again winning kudos for this bill.”
Reid countered that McConnell was simply trying to defend Grassley from charges of obstructing the Supreme Court nomination process, and said the GOP was wasting time in the process.
“This would have passed unanimous consent,” Reid said of the bill. “Everybody knows that. We don’t need to take up time in the Senate on a bill that would pass just like that. We’re doing it because it focuses less attention on the inadequacy of the Judiciary Committee.”
