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House Judiciary Committee ranking Democrat John Conyers is among those included in the draft letter. | Getty

House Democrats are preparing to put a squeeze on Republicans for their silence in the face of President Donald Trump's attack on a federal judge.

A draft resolution being circulated by three Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee including ranking Democrat John Conyers sharply criticizes Trump for his weekend swipes at the Seattle-based district court judge, James Robart, who halted the president's travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries.

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"Whether or not one agrees with the substance of a particular judicial decision, it is inappropriate for sitting presidents, or other government officials, to engage in ad hominem attacks against a judge, or otherwise place political pressure designed to undermine the independence of that judge, or to erode trust in the entire court system," according to the resolution.

The non-binding, politically charged measure, spearheaded by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), will likely go nowhere in the GOP-controlled House. But it's a tool in the limited Democratic arsenal meant to embarrass Republicans and highlight their uncomfortable relationship with Trump early in his presidency.

The draft resolution quotes from a slew of Trump's weekend tweets aimed at Robart, highlighting Trump's characterization of the George W. Bush-appointed jurist as a "so-called judge."

The measure also slaps at Trump for his campaign-season attack on Gonzalo Curiel, the judge who presided over a lawsuit against Trump University. It concludes with a statement of support for the notion that the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government are co-equal and "each deserves the respect of the others."

Republicans have largely refrained from directly criticizing Trump over his weekend comments about Robart, though several issued harsh rebukes of Trump during the campaign when he slammed Curiel. A few GOP lawmakers, though, chided Trump for getting personal with Robart.

"It is best not to single out judges," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

And on ABC's "This Week," Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), a frequent Trump critic, said: "We dont have so-called judges."

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Democrats seize on Trump's judge slam - Politico