Western, central and northern Minnesota under windy, dry weather conditions 

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday he would oppose the nomination of a fellow Minnesotan to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and won't consent to even hearing the nomination of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras.

Fellow Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, also a Judiciary Committee member, tried to straddle the fence on Stras, applauding his credentials while seeming to defer to Franken's attempt to scuttle the nomination.

While Franken's formal objection makes clear where he stands, it won't necessarily upend Stras' nomination because Republicans control the Senate, and the Judiciary Committee has 

to get around resistance from home-state senators who refuse to return so-called "blue slips" ahead of confirmation hearings. That said, nominees lacking that prior consent have 

Franken issued a lengthy statement saying he is concerned that Stras is too conservative to gain his support. Stras was 

"Justice Stras’s professional background and record strongly suggest that, if confirmed, he would embrace the legacy of his role models and reliably rule in favor of powerful corporate interests over working people, and that he would place a high bar before plaintiffs seeking justice at work, at school, and at the ballot box," Franken said. "The president should be seeking out judges who bridge the issues that divide us, but I fear that Justice Stras’s views and philosophy would lead him to reinforce those divisions and steer the already conservative Eighth Circuit even further to the right."

Klobuchar hasn't said as definitively how she would vote.

  In her own statement Tuesday, Klobuchar suggested that the White House should provide additional names for the court opening but said Stras "deserves a hearing before the Senate."

Still, Klobuchar said Franken's opposition should be respected.

"Under Senate practice, both senators from a judicial nominee's home state must allow that nominee to have a hearing," Klobuchar said. "Like Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, I support the practice as it is a check and balance regardless of whether a state is represented by two Democrats, two Republicans or one Democrat and one Republican."

A Minnesota courts spokesman said Stras was declining to comment on the developments.

Stras has been on Minnesota's Supreme Court since his 2010 appointment by then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican. Stras is a former University of Minnesota law professor and previously clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals vacancy was created by the retirement of Judge Diana Murphy. The circuit covers seven Midwestern and Great Plains states, from North Dakota to Arkansas.

Franken's full statement in opposition to Stras is below:

Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Jennifer Carnahan also weighed in with a statement:

The National Republican Senatorial Committee criticized Klobuchar:

Politics and Government News

Capitol View®

Brian Bakst

Author

U.S. Sen. Al Franken said Tuesday he would oppose the nomination of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Franken opposes Justice Stras bid for fed bench

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox