Former Iowa Attorney General Bonnie Campbell answered questions at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday. Campbell was quizzed as part of her nomination to be a judge on the Eighth District U-S Court of Appeals. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is the second-ranking member of the committee. Grassley didn’t listen to all the questioning, but says he doesn’t know of any concerns.Grassley, a republican, says the party controlling Congress always cuts off confirming new presidential nominations in July during an election year. Since Campbell was appointed by the Democrat president, she needs to be confirmed by Republicans before that deadline.If Campbell fails to win confirmation before the cutoff, she must wait for the results of the November election. If a Democrat is elected, her nomination would be resubmitted. If a Republican wins, then her nomination would die.Grassley says things appear to be moving ahead at a pace that favors Campbell as she’s already jumped ahead in the process.Grassley joined fellow Iowa Senator Tom Harkin in introducing Campbell to the committee. He says he’s talked at length with Campbell and supports her nomination.Grassley says senators who did not attend Thursday’s hearing can write to Campbell with questions. He says if no problems arise, Campbell’s name could come up for a vote in the third week of June. Campbell is currently the Director of the Violence Against Women Office in the U-S Department of Justice.
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