A top Senate Democrat blocked the confirmation of Philly’s chief federal prosecutor. It might not mean much.

A top Senate Democrat put a hold on the confirmation of several U.S. attorneys this week, including David Metcalf, the chief federal prosecutor for the Philadelphia region.

Sen. Dick Durbin objected to the slate of 10 U.S. attorneys on Wednesday, citing what he described as President Donald Trump’s attempts to bypass the Senate and install allies.

“Any path forward cannot result in Republican senators having their U.S. attorneys nominated and confirmed, and Democratic senators having outrageous picks installed in their states in legally dubious ways,” Durbin said in explaining his decision to object.

But the hold won’t affect Metcalf, who is already serving as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which includes Philadelphia and its suburbs. Metcalf had been appointed to an interim role in March, but was appointed by a federal court to the permanent role in June, meaning he will be the region’s top federal prosecutor indefinitely as he awaits Senate confirmation.

Unlike many of Trump’s other nominee’s, Metcalf has kept a low-profile and his background does not indicate any clear ties to the president.

Confirmations to top federal prosecutor roles, traditionally a fairly routine procedure, have grown contentious in recent years as both Republicans and Democrats have put holds on nominations from their opposing sides.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), chair of the Judiciary Committee, sought unanimous consent Wednesday to confirm the 10 including Metcalf and two others who already serve in the positions after being reported favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in June. But Durbin, the Senate Democratic Whip and the ranking member of the committee, objected.

Durbin acknowledged his “friendship and respect” for Grassley, but noted that while Democrats confirmed Trump’s U.S. attorney nominees during his first term, Republicans had blocked nominees during President Joe Biden’s administration. And Trump, he said, had circumvented the Senate’s advice and consent powers to fill vacancies in blue states.

“I’m hopeful we can find a bipartisan approach that serves the needs of the nation when it comes to justice, but also respects the integrity of the United States Senate,” Durbin said.

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, a member of the Judiciary Committee who opposed advancing Metcalf’s candidacy, said the hold Durbin put in place was a way for Democrats to wield some power in a Republican-controlled Congress.

Unanimous consent allows for a faster confirmation process, so Durbin’s objection will delay the nominees’ approval. Without unanimous consent, nominations must be considered and voted on individually.

“Democrats’ hold forces the Senate to burn valuable hours of floor time to process U.S. Attorney nominees, rather than confirming them by the traditional expedited process of a voice vote,” Grassley said in a statement.

Metcalf, who served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia from 2020 to 2022, also served in various capacities in the Justice Department in Washington. As the region’s top federal prosecutor, he oversees about 140 lawyers who handle federal cases involving violent crime, drug trafficking, political corruption, tax fraud, cybercrime, and terrorism in addition to civil cases involving fraud, discrimination, and civil rights violations.

The U.S. attorney candidates likely have a lengthy confirmation process ahead of them.

But Grassley said he’s still optimistic that lawmakers can come to an agreement.

“I would agree with continuing to work to see if we can find a solution on this,” he said. “Public safety is such an important issue. U.S. attorneys are central to such public safety. ... I hope we can get something worked out.”