Schumer slammed for citing skin color in vote against white judicial nominee

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Chuck Schumer opposing Trump nominee because he's white

Tucker: Schumer is opposing Trump judicial nominee Marvin Quattlebaum because of the color of his skin. The Dem's leader in the Senate is apparently is a throwback to the Democrats of the segregation era. Sadly, he's not the only one. #Tucker

Trump's judicial nominees confirmed at record pace

President's breakneck success on getting judges confirmed to the federal bench has many conservatives cheering and many on the left sounding the alarm.

Don Beatty and Alison Lee were both nominated by the Obama administration to fill the federal judgeship.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faced a stern rebuke from congressional colleagues for citing skin color in voting against a white federal judge nominee earlier this week.

Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor Wednesday that the nomination of Marvin Quattlebaum, a white lawyer who is a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough in Greenville, S.C., “speaks to the overall lack of diversity in President Trump’s selections for the federal judiciary.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration's nomination of Marvin Quattlebaum because he's white. Schumer argued the nomination "speaks to the overall lack of diversity in President Trump's selections for the federal judiciary."

He complained that many of Trump’s nominees have been white males. He also complained that Republicans previously held up two black judges nominated under the Obama administration for the position— which The Post and Courier notes has long been vacant.

Trump's judicial nominees confirmed at record pace

President's breakneck success on getting judges confirmed to the federal bench has many conservatives cheering and many on the left sounding the alarm.

“It is long past time that the judiciary starts looking a lot more like the America it represents,” Schumer said. “Having a diversity of views and experience on the federal bench is necessary for the equal administration of justice.”

The senator said that with Quattlebaum’s nomination, the Trump administration was “taking a giant step backwards” in terms of diversity.

Quattlebaum was ultimately confirmed to the district judgeship on Thursday, 69-29.

Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, slammed Schumer for his statements.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Thursday it was actually Schumer’s vote against Quattlebaum that was “a massive step backward.”

While Schumer “is not a racist,” Graham tweeted, “this was an absolutely shameful reason to vote against a very qualified nominee like Marvin Quattlebaum.” He added, “Voting against a highly qualified nominee because of the color of his skin does nothing to bring our country and nation together.”

Don Beatty and Alison Lee were both nominated by the Obama administration to fill the federal judgeship.

Sen. Tim Scott, also a Republican serving South Carolina and the GOP’s sole black senator, tweeted, “Perhaps Senate Democrats should be more worried about the lack of diversity on their own staffs than attacking an extremely well-qualified judicial nominee from the great state of South Carolina.”

Schumer asserted that the only reason Quattlebaum was nominated for the unoccupied position was because the state’s Republican senators didn’t return their “blue slips” — a blue form used by senators to voice approval or disapproval for a home state nominee — for Obama nominees Alison Lee and Don Beatty in 2013.

Democrats have said that Republicans used blue slips to block about 18 of Obama’s nominations, arguing the denial of a hearing for a nominee without two blue slips was fine with Republicans then. Democrats said the policy shouldn’t change just because the person who sits in the White House is different.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., countered on Twitter that Lee’s nomination “was withdrawn because of a significant bond issue” and Beatty eventually was appointed as the Chief Justice of the state’s Supreme Court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.