By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse confirmed Tuesday in a talk with reporters that he met last week with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner over dinner at their home in Northwest Washington D.C. along with other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss sentencing reform legislation.
“They were very congenial and gracious hosts,” said Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat who said the meeting with the First Daughter and her husband, both advisors to the President, included fellow Democrats Dick Durban of Illinois and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, as well as Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and several White House officials.
“They live well,” Whitehouse said of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. “Really big house, very fancy food.”
Whitehouse said the group is seeking common ground toward developing bipartisan legislation to reform sentencing laws against which some judges have rebelled, including mandatory minimum sentences for drug, gun and other crimes.
Whitehouse also said there has been no movement by the Trump administration toward filling vacancies on the U.S. District Court bench and the U.S. Attorney’s office in Providence. Former Chief Judge Mary Lisi retired last year, and former U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha was fired by President Donald J. Trump earlier this year along with virtually all Democratic United States Attorneys.
Whitehouse said he and fellow Sen. Jack Reed continue to support Rhode Island Public Defender Mary McElroy, appointed to the court seat by former President Barack Obama. Her nomination was reported out of the Judiciary Committee on a voice vote in 2016, but was never acted upon by the Republican-controlled Senate and expired.
Whitehouse said he has confidence in acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Dambruch pending an appointment by Trump.
