This morning, Senator Ben Sasse served as the chair of Steve Grasz’s nomination hearing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
After a few jokes about his own inexperience, Senator Sasse made the opening remarks. By and large, Sasse's remarks focused on the necessity for judges to cast aside all biases, saying, "A good judge is not a republican, and a good judge is not a democrat. A good judge is faithful to their oath, to the constitution, and to the law - mindful of the facts, and committed to independence."
He went on to discuss Grasz's common Nebraskan roots, describing a young man who walked beans to earn summer money. A fifth generation Nebraskan, a family farmer, and a graduate of UNL, Steve Grasz has some serious litigatory chops - graduated at the top of his class, served as the executive editor of the Law Revue before serving as the Chief Deputy Attorney General of Nebraska. He has argued before the US Supreme Court, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to which he is now nominated, and the Nebraska Supreme Court.
You can hear Senator Sasse's full remarks here:
Senator Sasse Offers Remarks & History on Grasz Nomination
