Story highlights The issue Wednesday involved President Donald Trump's judicial nominee

The blue slip process requires an OK from both senators of the nominee's home state

(CNN) Democrats objected vociferously Wednesday as two of President Donald Trump's appellate court judicial nominees appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, accusing Republicans of bucking a long-standing tradition: the blue slip.

The blue slip process typically delays or derails hearings for the federal bench unless both senators from the nominee's home-state consent to the President's pick. Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken is withholding his blue slip for David Stras. Stras currently sits on the Minnesota Supreme Court and was nominated in May for a seat on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

"I do not think that the Senate should cede its power to the executive branch and end this long-standing custom," Franken said. Franken said he was minimally consulted by the White House on Stras' nomination, and was only granted two meetings with staff from the White House Counsel's office.

"In light of the White House's disrespect for the Senate's constitutional role, I voiced my objection using the only means available to me, by withholding my blue slip," Franken explained. Franken has previously said he objects to Stras' staunchly conservative views, issuing a lengthy statement explaining that he fears Stras' "views and philosophy would lead him to reinforce those divisions and steer the already conservative 8th Circuit even further to the right."

Committee chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, moved forward with Stras' hearing Wednesday, explaining that he refused to treat blue slips "as a single-senator veto." Democrats, however, pointed out that Grassley refused to hold hearings on ten of then-President Barack Obama's nominees from 2015 to 2016 because they didn't have two blue slips.

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