Hawkeye Reporter

Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor Saturday in support of Jeanine Pirro’s nomination for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. The vote on her confirmation is expected soon.

Grassley described Pirro as a trailblazer and criticized Democratic opposition to her nomination. “Ms. Pirro is a trailblazer. It’s shameful for Democrats to oppose this trailblazing woman. Her qualifications speak for themselves,” Grassley said.

Pirro began her legal career after graduating from law school in 1975, focusing early on prosecuting domestic abuse cases when few women did so at the time. She became the first woman to serve as a judge in Westchester County Court and later as District Attorney for that county. She also served as President of the New York State District Attorneys’ Association.

“Her record is remarkable. She spent 27 years prosecuting criminals – and another three as a judge. In those three decades, Ms. Pirro gained a reputation for fierce advocacy against domestic abuse and crimes against children,” Grassley stated.

In 1977, Pirro helped establish the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Bureau in Westchester County, serving as its first chief, and later created an Elder Abuse Bureau focused on crimes against elderly citizens. During the 1990s, she led one of the first law enforcement sting operations targeting sexual predators online, earning recognition among online communities where suspected police officers were called “Pirro’s Boys.”

Grassley noted that while many Americans now know Pirro from television as “Judge Jeanine,” she has a long record as a prosecutor and judge despite criticism over some remarks made during her TV career: “You may hear my Democrat colleagues criticize Ms. Pirro for some of her colorful remarks during her time as a TV personality. Yes, she has a larger-than-life personality. But she has [a] decades [long] distinguished record as a prosecutor and judge.”

He praised her performance in an interim role as U.S. Attorney for D.C., saying it was well received: “Her job in the interim role, where she is stationed now, has been heralded. She boosted morale.” According to Grassley, Pirro also has backing from both the D.C. Police Union and National Fraternal Order of Police.

“I look forward to supporting her nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same,” Grassley concluded.