“Hillbilly Elegy” senator hardens block on a confirmation vote for new U.S. attorney in Chicago

Standing on the Senate floor, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, said he will continue to block votes to confirm four U.S. attorney nominees, including one from Chicago. (CSPAN video.)

WASHINGTON – Top Senate Democrats Charles Schumer and Dick Durbin on Wednesday turned up the heat on two Republican senators who have been blocking votes to confirm 319 military promotions and four U.S. attorneys, including April Perry, in line to be the next chief federal prosecutor in Chicago.

Schumer, of New York, and Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, sharply criticized Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who has been holding up the officer promotions and Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, who has been preventing a vote on Perry and three other U.S. attorney nominees. Vance, a freshman senator, is best known as the author of “Hillbilly Elegy.”