Some take issue with Republican VP pick JD Vance's record, including his blocking U.S. Attorney pick
MILWAUKEE (CBS) -- Presumptive Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance's about-face on former and possibly future President Donald Trump has been the subject of much discussion since Trump announced Vance as his running mate at the Republican National Convention on Monday.
But another move by Vance earlier this year had deep ties to the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago.
Back in the fall, Vance blocked the U.S. Senate confirmation of two nominees for U.S. Attorney—including April Perry, nominee for the Northern District of Illinois. Vance also blocked confirmation of Rebecca Lutzko, who had been nominated as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
U.S. Senate Majority Whip and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)—who pushed for Perry to get the position—explained why he believes Vance's blockade was retaliatory
"He said—he repeated himself over and over—his goal was to grind the Department of Justice to a halt," Durbin said at a news conference at the time. "Why would he want to stop career prosecutors from moving forward to protect us? He was very clear about it. It was retribution for 'the weaponization of the Department of Justice toward Donald Trump.' It was strictly a political move."
Durbin has also accused Vance of hypocrisy for holding up the nominees while employing "tough on crime" rhetoric.
Meanwhile in Milwaukee Tuesday, at a breakfast for the Illinois RNC delegates, CBS News Chicago asked leaders about the somewhat significant divide between Vance and Trump.
Vance, for instance, has a much more conservative view on abortion rights than Trump. He has previously said he abortion ban at 15 weeks of pregnancy, while Trump said in the spring that abortion rights should be left to the states.
Party insiders say the vice presidential candidate has to fall in line with the beliefs of the candidate at the top of the ticket.
"Whatever the top of the ticket's platform is, that just became your platform," said Illinois delegate Aaron Del Mar. "His job is to toe the line for the top of the ticket, to engage and be a surrogate, and go out there and speak on behalf of the slate and the team."
The Illinois Republican delegation looks much different from how it did just 10 or 12 years ago. The capture of the party by Trump has changed out many of the faces and names that would otherwise be seen at an RNC.
On Monday night on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," former Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger was critical about the Vance pick. In particular, Kinzinger took issue with Vance's stance on funding for Ukraine amid the war.
"They are celebrating that choice both in Milwaukee tonight and in Moscow," Kinzinger said. "JD Vance is the one that has said, 'I frankly don't care what happens in Ukraine. He has very loudly talked about how he doesn't care what happens in Ukraine. He has opposed aid to Ukraine."
Kinzinger also criticized Vance's about-face from being an anti-Trump Republican to a strong Trump supporter.
"He has no moral soul, no center—and how you can like Russia and what they're doing in Ukraine is beyond me," Kinzinger said, "I think it was a terrible pick for the president."
Adam Kinzinger is one of many absent familiar Illinois GOP faces
At the breakfast Tuesday, Illinois GOP delegates were critical of Kinzinger—essentially viewing him as now outside the fold.
Kinzinger was not the only familiar face among Illinois Republican leaders who is not part of the state's delegation at the convention this year. Former Gov. Jim Edgar and former Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin are absent as well.
Illinois' delegation is made up of almost all newer faces. The reason, some say, is that the Trump era has ushered out so-called traditional conservatives."
Aaron Del Mar / IL Delegation
"All Republicans in IL were given an opportunity to join the Illinois delegation to the RNC Convention. If they chose to take that opportunity or not was a decision that each and every one of them made on an individual basis; on their own thoughts, beliefs, and ideals on what's the best vision for Illinois and the United States moving forward," Del Mar said. "So if Jim Durkin doesn't want to come to the RNC Convention, be a part of moving the process forward—and he'd rather sit at home—that's a decision Jim Durkin made."
The delegation this year is not all new faces. Some in this year's Illinois GOP delegation have been coming to this event for 30 years.
But a new tone and new tenor for the party comes with a new class of delegates representing the new era.
By contrast, the Michigan and Ohio GOP delegations, and many others, have delegates that have been party regulars for generations. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell came for Kentucky.