Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) on Monday highlighted the role of liberal advocacy groups in Supreme Court nominations, suggesting that criticism of "dark money" from conservative organizations supporting Neil Gorsuch's nomination is hypocritical.
"It is no secret that there are dozens of advocacy groups on the left who get involved in the nomination process," Grassley said during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, where lawmakers on the committee will vote on sending Gorsuch's nomination to the entire Senate.
Outside liberal groups like NextGen Climate have a right to engage in advocacy surrounding Supreme Court nominations, said Grassley, chairman of the committee. The Iowa Republican, however, took issue with what he described as Democrats' one-sided discussion of money in politics, calling liberal organizations' involvement in the debate "very dark."
"To hear my friends on the other side tell, 'It is only conservative outside groups who are engaged in the nomination process,'" Grassley said.
He pointed to the nominations of Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor as evidence of liberal groups getting involved in the process with money of their own. He also cited liberal billionaires Tom Steyer and George Soros as examples of "dark money" in politics.
"And, of course, as we see, advocacy groups on the left are engaged on this nomination as well," Grassley said. "Liberal billionaires like Tom Steyer, George Soros found their own dark money organizations like NextGen Climate, a group that describes Judge Gorsuch as 'an extreme candidate wrong for the supreme court under any circumstances.'"
The senator said NARAL, a pro-choice organization, and Progressive Change Campaign Committee also sought to influence Gorsuch's nomination process.
"NARAL has run ads to pressure members to filibuster. We even had some groups called Progressive Change Campaign Committee target a senior and extremely well-respected Democrat over his 'squishy comments,' suggesting he might not filibuster," Grassley said. "In short, they have threatened to primary any Democrat who supports the nomination."
"Now that is very dark," Grassley said.