Madam President, I intend to object to any unanimous consent request relating to the nomination of Kenneth Allen Polite to be an Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice, PN423. Last week, at the Senate Judiciary Committee's Executive Business Meeting, I noted my intent to object to Mr. Polite's confirmation not on the basis of his credentials--I happen to find him well qualified for the position--but on the basis of the Justice Department's failure to respond to congressional oversight requests. To date, the Justice Department has failed to provide a full and complete response to any of my oversight requests. As one of many examples, on February 3, 2021, and March 9, 2021, Senator Johnson and I requested information from the Justice Department relating to Nicholas McQuaid. Mr. McQuaid is Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, the position Mr. Polite will hold upon confirmation. In those letters, we raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest in light of the fact that Mr. McQuaid was employed at Latham & Watkins until January 20, 2021, and worked with Christopher Clark, whom Hunter Biden reportedly hired to work on his Federal criminal case. This arrangement presents a potential conflict of interest. A core function of congressional oversight is to ensure that governmental Departments and Agencies are free of conflicts of interest. That is especially so with the Justice Department and FBI.…
On the recordJune 22, 2021
Share & report
More from Chuck Grassley
Apr 8, 2025
Mr. President, I have another point to make, which I think I have made once or twice before. Remember last December, we got to December and didn't pass 12 appropriations bills. We didn't pass a farm bill. We didn't debate the DOD…
Apr 15, 2025
When you put something negative, like a tariff, on some country, they seem to retaliate against agriculture.
Apr 2, 2025
Congress has for too long delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch.
Apr 30, 2025
Mr. President, April is National Donate Life Month. This is a month to raise awareness about the lifesaving importance of organ donation. There happen to be over 103,000 Americans on the national organ transplant waiting list. We should…





