February 11, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 26 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S1164-S1165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                            NOMINATION HOLD

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, due to the actions of the Department of 
Justice, I have placed a hold on Donald Washington to be Director of 
the U.S. Marshals Service. This hold does not reflect any misgivings I 
may have

[[Page S1165]]

against Mr. Washington. I believe he is a man of great integrity, and 
his previous role as a U.S. Attorney has prepared him for the post he 
has been nominated to. Mr. Washington is an excellent candidate, and I 
look forward to supporting his nomination. However, I cannot allow his 
nomination to proceed at this time due to the actions of the Department 
of Justice.
  On December 10, 2018, the Department of Justice agreed to provide my 
staff with a briefing on the Marshals' apparent misuse of the Assets 
Forfeiture Fund. Then on January 7, 2019, less than 24 hours before the 
briefing was set to take place, the Department cancelled on account 
that I was no longer the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
  As I have explained several times, it is the constitutional duty of 
every Member of Congress to conduct oversight. Furthermore, at the time 
that the Department communicated their cancellation, I was still 
chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
  I am placing this hold on Mr. Washington, a Department of Justice 
nominee, until the Department of Justice fulfills the promise to 
provide my staff with a briefing of the Assets Forfeiture Fund.

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