Two top-level Congressional Republicans have revealed their plans to invoke the ‘nuclear option’ to counter Democrats who have vowed to filibuster Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
With a 60-vote threshold necessary to confirm Gorsuch, a Democrat filibuster would temporarily halt his appointment due to Republicans controlling only 52 seats in the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced his plan to lead an effort to force the 60-vote requirement on Twitter:
The threat of a filibuster has led to grumblings that Republicans might invoke the ‘nuclear option,’ a move that would abolish the 60-vote requirement for Supreme Court nominees, something the Democrats themselves instituted for other judicial nominees under the leadership of Harry Reid in 2013.
Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain have revealed they will do exactly that.
On CNN Tonight, Graham pointed out that if a man of Judge Gorsuch’ caliber can’t get 60 votes, then no Supreme Court nominee picked by a GOP President will ever be able to, forcing the Senate to go nuclear.
McCain followed up in an interview affirming that Republicans were “going to confirm Gorsuch.”
Neither Graham nor McCain are considered staunch supporters of President Trump, but they seem to be following his suggestion on the nomination of Gorsuch.
“If we end up with that gridlock I would say if you can, Mitch, go nuclear,” Trump said referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “That would be an absolute shame if a man of this quality was caught up in the web. It’s up to Mitch, but I would say go for it.”
Opposing a man of Gorsuch’ judicial integrity has exposed the Democrats as the partisan liberal purists they are. They have offered no serious opposition to his nomination and simply want to deny the President a legacy move on the Supreme Court.
You know it’s a bad move when even Graham and McCain are siding with the President on this matter.
Do you think the Senate should invoke the “nuclear option” if Democrats try and filibuster Judge Gorsuch’s nomination? Share your thoughts below!
Source:thepoliticalinsider.com