Sen. Patty Murray Patricia (Patty) Lynn MurraySenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Trump health officials grilled over reports of politics in COVID-19 response CDC director pushes back on Caputo claim of 'resistance unit' at agency MORE (D-Wash.) on Tuesday said that she will not return her "blue slip" on a judicial pick from President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE and urged the Judiciary Committee to delay a hearing on the nomination.

Murray said in a statement that Republicans "have been trampling" on Senate precedent in order to place "extreme conservatives" on the courts, adding that she cannot be "complicit."

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"This needs to end. So I am not going to be complicit in this latest rushed process to load the courts with Trump nominees in the lame duck session and I will not be returning the blue slip that signals my approval of this process," said Murray, who is a member of Democratic leadership.

Eric Miller, who has been nominated to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, is scheduled to testify before the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. The panel is holding the hearing even though the Senate is in recess until Nov. 13.

The Wednesday hearing will be the second that the Judiciary Committee has held during the recess, a move that has infuriated Democrats and outside progressive groups.

Republicans say the dates were agreed to by Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinTrump plans to pick Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ginsburg on court Trump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' MORE (D-Calif.), Feinstein's staff counters that she didn't agree to hold hearings on judicial nominees if the Senate began its pre-election recess early.

Murray, on Tuesday, added that Republicans should "step back from this mad dash" and the Judiciary Committee should delay Wednesday's hearing.

"[Then] we can work together next Congress to consider the President’s nominees in the bipartisan and considered way that has worked before," she added.

The office for Murray's fellow Washington senator, Maria Cantwell Maria Elaine CantwellHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Key Democrat opposes GOP Section 230 subpoena for Facebook, Twitter, Google Hillicon Valley: Zuckerberg acknowledges failure to take down Kenosha military group despite warnings | Election officials push back against concerns over mail-in voting, drop boxes MORE (D), didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about if she would also refuse to return her blue slip.

A spokesman for Cantwell did tell The Seattle Times in July, shortly after Miller's nomination was announced, that Cantwell "did not and does not consent" to his nomination.

But opposition from Murray and Cantwell — and either one or both of them refusing to return a blue slip on Miller's nomination — is unlikely to stop Republicans from advancing him.

Democrats nixed the 60-vote filibuster for most nominations in 2013, meaning Republicans, who hold 51 seats in the Upper Chamber, can clear circuit court nominations by a simple majority.

And Senate Republicans have warned they won't let the refusal of a home state senator to return a "blue slip" — a sheet of paper that indicates if they support the nominee — to stop the Senate from moving them forward.

The "blue slip" rule — a precedent upheld by Senate tradition — has historically allowed a home-state senator to stop a lower-court nominee by refusing to return a sheet of paper, the “blue slip,” to the Judiciary Committee.

But how strictly the precedent is followed is decided by the Judiciary Committee chairman — in this case, Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyGOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power The Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Top GOP senators say Hunter Biden's work 'cast a shadow' over Obama Ukraine policy MORE (R-Iowa) — and enforcement has varied over the years.

Grassley sent a letter to Cantwell and Murray last week saying they had not returned their blue slips but also not given any "substantive reasons for your opposition."

"My preliminary conclusion is that the White House staff attempted to engage in meaningful consultation with you but that their engagement was not reciprocated. ... I believe the White House engaged in meaningful consultation with you regarding the Ninth Circuit vacancy in Washington," Grassley wrote in the letter.

Senate Republicans have confirmed a handful of circuit court nominations even when one home state senator did not return their slip.

And the Judiciary Committee advanced Ryan Bounds's 9th Circuit nomination to the floor even though neither home-state senator — Sens. Jeff Merkley Jeffrey (Jeff) Alan MerkleyThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Sunday shows - Trump team defends coronavirus response Oregon senator says Trump's blame on 'forest management' for wildfires is 'just a big and devastating lie' MORE (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Democratic senators ask inspector general to investigate IRS use of location tracking service MORE (D-Ore.) — returned their blue slips. But Bounds's nomination was ultimately withdrawn when it became clear he did not have the 50 votes needed from Republicans.

Republicans have raced to confirm Trump's judicial nominees, including setting a record for the number of circuit court picks confirmed during a president's first two years.