Senate Democrats Make History By Successfully Filibustering Trump Supreme Court Nominee Gorsuch

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Senate Democrats made history by successfully filibustering Trump Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.

Read: Kristi Noem Is Banned From 20% of South Dakota.

Before the vote, Democratic Senate Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “We’ve reached a point where the level of distrust is so high on this issue that we can’t even sit down and talk.”

Schumer said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to believe that Democrats would ever vote for a Republican nominee. Schumer said that the Republican Leader was intent from day one on changing the rules if he didn’t get his way. Schumer said, “When the dust settles make no mistake about, it will be Republicans who changed the Senate rules.”

Sen. Schumer warned that going nuclear would destroy compromise and bipartisanship.

The 41st no vote against cloture was cast by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Republicans will blame Democrats for the change in the Senate rules, but the reality is that it is the Republican majority that always had the ability to change the Senate rules. Senate Republicans made the decision to take this course of action. Republicans sacrificed the Senate to get a Supreme Court nominee confirmed.

After Sen. McConnell did not allow a vote on Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, the wheels were set into motion for the change. Democrats were under intense pressure to filibuster Gorsuch, but Senate Democrats were ready for a fight as soon as Trump won the election.

Republicans may get their nominee, but by changing the rules, they will lose the war by taking such a reckless and short-sighted course of action.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association