Via the New York Times:
WASHINGTON — President Obama is vetting Jane L. Kelly, a federal appellate judge in Iowa, as a potential nominee for the Supreme Court, weighing a selection that could pose an awkward dilemma for her home-state senator Charles E. Grassley, who has pledged to block the president from filling the vacancy.
The F.B.I. has been conducting background interviews on Judge Kelly, 51, according to a person with knowledge of the process. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the White House is closely guarding details about Mr. Obama’s search to fill the opening created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
And I’m sure the White House told her not to sell her house in Iowa or even plan to rent in D.C. because no matter how qualified she is or how awkward it might be for Chuck Grassley, she’s not going to even be seen by the Senate Judiciary Committee because the Republicans are a bunch of sniveling assholes.
The only thing that she can look forward to is being the answer to a trivia question in ten years.
Kelly is a shrewdly inspired choice. She’s talented, committed, has a sympathetic backstory, and she got universal approval from the Senate for her last appointment a mere three years ago. And coming from Iowa, she’s one of Grassley’s constituents and someone in any other world he ought to support.
It will be interesting to watch Grassley on this one to see who he prefers p!ssing off. Should be interesting to see whether he’s going to risk getting primaried for appeasing the Kenyan IslamoFascoSoshulist, or getting primaried for obstructing a good hardworking Iowan for whom he had nothing but praise not so long ago.
Obama could nominate the reincarnated Antonin Scalia and Grassley wouldn’t care, and it’s obvious that he can’t be embarrassed. Kinda makes you wonder what’s coloring his judgment.
A strong Demo contender has shown up in Iowa to go after Chuck:
“Patty Judge, a former Iowa lieutenant governor and state agriculture secretary, is expected to announce her challenge this weekend to Mr. Grassley, who is seeking a seventh Senate term and had previously been seen as having little opposition to re-election.” (NYTimes)
Will Chuck G. give in and allow Kelly to be considered? The plot thickens… or is that sickens?