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All eyes on Romney, Grassley and Gardner as a Supreme Court confirmation fight looms over the Senate. All eyes on Romney, Grassley and Gardner as McConnell confirms he will hold a nomination vote ‘this year.’
(about 3 hours later)
Senators were set to return to Washington on Monday with a Supreme Court confirmation fight looming, as Republican leaders weighed the timing of a vote to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Senators returned to Washington on Monday with a Supreme Court confirmation fight looming, as Republican leaders weighed the timing of a vote to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
With President Trump vowing to name a replacement by the weekend, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, was working behind the scenes to lock up the support he would need to proceed before Inauguration Day — and possibly before the Nov. 3 election. Back in the Senate for the first time since Justice Ginsburg’s death, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, reiterated on Monday that he planned to fill her vacant Supreme Court seat this year, but declined to offer a more precise timeline.
“The Senate has more than sufficient time to process a nomination,” Mr. McConnell said in a speech meant to knock down complaints lodged by Democrats. “History and precedent make that perfectly clear.”
“This Senate will vote on this nomination this year,” he added.
With President Trump vowing to name a replacement by the weekend, Mr. McConnell was working behind the scenes to lock up the support he would need to proceed.
Republicans could try to rush to confirm a replacement for Justice Ginsburg before Election Day. But doing so could put some of their members up for election in greater political peril and keep them off the campaign trail in the crucial closing weeks of the campaign. There are risks in waiting, too, particularly if voters overwhelmingly reject Mr. Trump and Republican senators at the ballot box.
Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have publicly objected to the idea of a vote before Election Day, meaning Mr. McConnell could only afford to lose one more member of his party, given his slim, 53-to-47 majority.Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have publicly objected to the idea of a vote before Election Day, meaning Mr. McConnell could only afford to lose one more member of his party, given his slim, 53-to-47 majority.
Attention was focused on Senators Mitt Romney of Utah, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, who were seen as possible holdouts but had said nothing publicly about their intentions. That focused attention on Senators Mitt Romney of Utah, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, who were seen as possible holdouts but had said nothing publicly about their intentions.
Mr. Romney was the only Republican to break with his party and vote to convict and remove Mr. Trump at his impeachment trial. A vote on a Supreme Court nominee before the election could prove tricky for Mr. Gardner, who is in a tough re-election race in the politically competitive state of Colorado. And Mr. Grassley, a former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, had previously held to Republicans’ 2016 position that a Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled in an election year.Mr. Romney was the only Republican to break with his party and vote to convict and remove Mr. Trump at his impeachment trial. A vote on a Supreme Court nominee before the election could prove tricky for Mr. Gardner, who is in a tough re-election race in the politically competitive state of Colorado. And Mr. Grassley, a former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, had previously held to Republicans’ 2016 position that a Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled in an election year.
Democrats, who lack the power to block a Supreme Court confirmation on their own, are instead mounting a pressure campaign to sway the two additional Republicans who would be needed to do so.Democrats, who lack the power to block a Supreme Court confirmation on their own, are instead mounting a pressure campaign to sway the two additional Republicans who would be needed to do so.
The are also warning of the consequences if they fail. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, said that “nothing is off the table” if Democrats were to take control of the Senate, including abolishing the 60-vote legislative filibuster and potentially adding additional seats to the nation’s highest court. They are also warning of the consequences if they fail. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, said that “nothing is off the table” if Democrats were to take control of the Senate, including abolishing the 60-vote legislative filibuster and potentially adding additional seats to the nation’s highest court.
The political battle comes as lawmakers are already at a stalemate over another economic stimulus measure to counter the toll of the pandemic, and are working to reach consensus on a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month.
On Capitol Hill on Monday morning, dozens of protesters, organized by a local chapter of the Sunrise Movement and Shut Down D.C., a local coalition of activists, gathered outside the Washington residence of Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. Mr. Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has reneged on his vow that any Supreme Court vacancy arising in an election year should not be filled until after Inauguration Day.