Leaders on the Senate Judiciary Committee sparred Wednesday about the American Bar Association’s role in reviewing judicial nominations, as the panel held its first judicial confirmation hearing of the new Trump administration.

Before senators questioned the nominees, Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the panel, pointed to Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s announcement last week that judicial picks would not sit for ABA interviews or respond to questionnaires prepared by the organization.

“This is an historic meeting for the approval of federal judges. We’re doing things differently today than they’ve even been done since I’ve served in the United States Senate,” Durbin said.

The ABA vetting process involves contacting a nominee’s peers and colleagues, Durbin said, a

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