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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 5 april 2017
McConnell claims votes to bust Supreme Court filibuster

and the court. requirement for legislation,
For the Senate, it would but McConnell committed
mean that Supreme Court Tuesday that would not
nominees in future could happen under his watch.
get on the court with no He drew a distinction be-
assent from the minority tween legislation being fili-
party, potentially leading bustered and the filibuster
to a more ideologically being used against nomi-
polarized court. More im- nees, something that is a
mediately, Gorsuch’s con- more recent development.
firmation to fill the vacancy Gorsuch now counts 55
on the court created by supporters in the Senate:
the death of Justice Anto- the 52 Republicans, along
nin Scalia 14 months ago with three moderate Dem-
would restore the conser- ocrats from states Trump
vative voting majority that won last November — Joe
existed before his death Manchin of West Virginia,
and could persist or grow Heidi Heitkamp of North
for years to come. Dakota and Joe Donnelly
And for the Senate, law- of Indiana. A fourth Senate
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, makers of both parties be- Democrat, Michael Bennet
Tuesday, April 4, 2017, about the struggle to move Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch toward moaned the further erosion from Gorsuch’s home state
a final up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. of their traditions of bipar- of Colorado, has said he
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) tisanship and consensus. will not join in the filibuster
ERICA WERNER Democrats tried mightily to the “nuclear option” be- Some were already pre- against Gorsuch but has
AP Congressional Corre- keep the focus on Republi- cause of the potential re- dicting that they would end not said how he will vote on
spondent cans’ plans to change Sen- percussions for the Senate up eliminating the 60-vote final passage.q
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen- ate rules, rather than on
ate Majority Leader Mitch their own plans to obstruct
McConnell claimed the a nominee who would likely
votes Tuesday to bust a have gotten onto the court
planned Democratic fili- easily with no filibuster in
buster of President Donald earlier and less contentious
Trump’s Supreme Court political times.
nominee as a showdown “Senator McConnell would
neared that could change have the world believe
the Senate, and the court, that his hands are tied. That
for generations. the only option after Judge
“They seem determined Gorsuch doesn’t earn 60
to head into the abyss,” votes is to break the rules,
the Kentucky Republican to change the rules,” said
said of Democrats as de- Senate Minority Leader
bate began over Judge Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Neil Gorsuch’s nomination. “That could not be further
“They need to reconsider.” from the truth.”In fact, a
Democrats made clear Senate rules change does
they had no plans to do so, appear to be Republicans’
and blamed Republicans one route to put Gorsuch
for pushing them to at- on the court. And despite
tempt a nearly unheard of claims from Schumer and
filibuster of a well-qualified others that Trump and Re-
Supreme Court pick. Forty- publicans could go back
four Democrats intend to to the drawing board and
vote against proceeding come up with a more
to final confirmation on “mainstream” nominee,
Gorsuch, which would be it seems unlikely that any
enough to block him un- nominee produced by
der the Senate’s filibuster Trump would win Demo-
rules that require 60 votes crats’ approval.Tuesday
to proceed.But McConnell evening McConnell of-
intends to act unilaterally ficially filed “cloture,” the
with the rest of his 52-mem- procedural motion to end
ber GOP conference and debate on Gorsuch’s nom-
change the rules to elimi- ination and bring it to a fi-
nate the 60-vote threshold nal vote. That started the
and require just a simple clock toward a showdown
majority on Gorsuch and on Thursday, when Demo-
all future Supreme Court crats are expected to try
nominees. Asked if he has to block Gorsuch, at which
the votes to do that, given point Republicans would
misgivings voiced by many respond by enacting the
Republicans, McConnell rules change. The change
answered simply “yes.” is known on Capitol Hill as