Wyden, Merkley upset by Bounds confirmation hearing

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., issued the following statement Monday after the Senate Judiciary Committee’s announcement that the committee will hold confirmation hearing for the nomination of Ryan Bounds to serve on the 9 th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals:

“It’s a shame the US Senate Judiciary Committee is further diminishing any sense of respect for comity and fairness in the Senate. For six years, while Democrats controlled the Senate and President Obama was in office, no judicial nominee moved forward over the objections of the home state senators. Refusing to play by the rules when the rules don’t suit you is bad enough, but in government it fuels cynicism, partisanship, and public disgust,” Wyden and Merkley said in a joint statement.

“What’s worse, Senator Grassley and Senator McConnell are jettisoning longstanding, bipartisan Senate practice to move an unqualified nominee. After the Oregon judicial selection committee finished its work, the bipartisan panel learned Ryan Bounds failed to disclose inflammatory writings revealing his archaic and alarming views about sexual assault, the rights of workers, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. That lack of honesty made Mr. Bounds an unsuitable nominee for a lifetime appointment to the bench.”

“Simply put, this all adds up to one more piece of troubling evidence of the Republicans changing the rules to pack the courts.”