Cory Booker: “I rise today to speak on the nomination of Paul Matey, who has been nominated by President Trump to a New Jersey seat on…”

“I rise today to speak on the nomination of Paul Matey, who has been nominated by President Trump to a New Jersey seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The Constitution actually charges this body with a sacred obligation. This body is charged by our Founders and by our Constitution with providing advice and consent on the individuals the President nominates to serve on the Federal courts. Over the last century, the United States has developed a process for carrying out that duty of evaluation, evaluating those nominees, but just a couple weeks ago, the body broke a century-old precedent. Until then, the Senate had never ever confirmed a judicial nominee over the objections of both home State Senators. I looked into this through the Congressional Research Service, and they didn't find a single example where that has ever happened. During the last century before the Trump administration, you could count on one hand the number of times the Senate had confirmed a judicial nominee when even one home State Senator had objected. That happened four times during the 1980s and once during the 1930s. That is it. But with the nominees now coming to the Senate floor, to this body, it is breaking a longstanding, bipartisan tradition and has jettisoned that rule and that idea. This has already happened--ignoring the objections of one home State Senator--five times. Now that is happening in a doubling-down capacity.…”