Maryland U.S. judge nominees await confirmation votes as Senate dispute continues over Feinstein absence

A pair of appointees to the U.S. District Court in Maryland are awaiting U.S. Senate approval as a dispute lingers between Democrats and Republicans over the composition of the committee considering their nominations. Senate Democrats said Thursday they are hopeful that the nominees — Brendan Hurson and Matthew Maddox, who are both from Baltimore — will be confirmed soon by the Senate Judiciary Committee even though the committee is missing a key member, California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.