A group of Senate Republicans held a press conference Wednesday to discuss ‘Democrats’ court-packing plan’ –- a push by some Democrats to expand the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Martha McSally (R-AZ), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) expressed their support for an amendment that was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in March of last year. “I don’t think you have to wait to hear directly from Joe Biden or any of the people around the country that are running for election to the Senate. I’m beginning to hear from them about whether they’ll expand the court and try to pack it. I think we already know the answer, Rubio told reporters. Adding, we’ll be able to put people will have to be on the record about where they think it’s a good idea to destabilize one of the three branches of government by court-packing scheme that’s designed to do nothing but tilt the direction for outcome purposes. That’s not the way our system should work.” Trump and the GOP have seized on the issue in the final days of the presidential race, arguing that former Vice President Joe Biden would install liberals on the court if elected. Biden, for his part, has said he’s not a fan of packing the court. Senate Democrats are set to boycott voting on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett at the Senate Judiciary Committee. The panel is set to meet Thursday to recommend Barrett’s nomination to the full Senate. Democrats decry the Republican rush to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick before Election Day. The Senate is planning a rare weekend session to push the nominee toward confirmation on Monday. Boycotting Thursday’s committee hearing won’t stop the process, but it potentially will force the Republican majority on the committee to alter the rules to keep the confirmation on track.
Senate Democrats plan to boycott Supreme Court nomineeAmy Coney Barrett’s Judiciary Committee vote Thursday in an act of protest, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday.
“We will not grant this process any further legitimacy by participating in a committee markup of this nomination just 12 days before the culmination of an election that is already underway,” the New York Democrat said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote at 1 p.m. to advance Barrett’s nomination to the floor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said this week that the Senate will hold a final vote on Barrett’s nomination Monday.
The boycott won’t prevent Barrett’s nomination from moving ahead, with Republicans on the committee vowing to confirm her.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C), chairman of the Judiciary panel, chastised Democrats for their move and said Barrett will receive a vote.
“That is a choice they are making,” Graham said. “I believe it does a disservice to Judge Barrett who deserves a vote, up or down.”
Prior to Barrett’s confirmation hearings, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) suggested that Democrats would not providea quorum to make the Judiciary Committee hearing valid, though Republicans can make procedural changes if needed.
Senate Democrats have deemed Barrett’s nomination “illegitimate,” arguing that aSupreme Court pick has never been confirmed so close to an election. They also are accusing Senate Republicans of hypocrisy, after McConnell blocked President Barack Obama’s nominee Merrick Garland in 2016, citing an election year and saying voters should decide. To read more go to the linke below:
