First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel sharply criticized Sen. Tammy Baldwin Sunday for effectively vetoing his confirmation as U.S. Attorney despite his obvious qualification for the role.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel, recently appointed to the position after his temporary term as U.S. Attorney expired, sharply criticized the Senate’s blue slip process Sunday, saying it has given home-state senators of the opposite party an effective veto over presidential nominees.
“What’s happened with this blue slip process is they’ve given a veto to senators of the opposite party of the president, and what happened in Wisconsin, I got vetoed,” he said in an interview with “Upfront.”
Schimel, a Republican who served as Wisconsin attorney general from 2015 to 2019, was named interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin by Attorney General Pam Bondi in November 2025. His 120-day term expired in March 2026 after federal judges in the district declined to extend it. He was then moved to the first assistant role, allowing him to continue overseeing cases.
The blue slip tradition allows the two senators from a nominee’s home state to return a form to the Senate Judiciary Committee indicating support or opposition. A negative or withheld blue slip has historically blocked consideration of the nominee, particularly for district court and U.S. attorney positions.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin has withheld support for Schimel, citing concerns over partisanship. Baldwin opposed extending Schimel’s interim role, stating she never thought “a clearly partisan actor like Brad Schimel should be a top federal prosecutor in our state.” She has pushed for use of a bipartisan nominating commission established with Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., which Trump bypassed in the initial appointment.
Baldwin previously withheld her blue slip for other nominees during the Trump administration, including 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals candidate Michael Brennan nearly a decade ago. At the time, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley proceeded with a hearing despite the objection, leading to Brennan’s confirmation.
Critics of the blue slip’s current application argue it allows senators to block qualified candidates based on party affiliation rather than merit, delaying federal prosecutions and judicial proceedings. Schimel noted the process has effectively stalled his confirmation despite his background as Wisconsin’s Attorney General, Waukesha County District Attorney, and Waukesha County Circuit Court judge.
The Eastern District of Wisconsin, based in Milwaukee, covers the eastern third of the state. A permanent U.S. attorney requires presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. President Trump has not yet nominated a full-time U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District.
