Democrats on Wednesday said they would boycott Thursday’s U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee vote on President Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Connie Barrett to the Supreme Court.
The committee consists of 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats. A panel spokesman said its Republican chair, Senator Lindsay Graham, could move forward with the nomination despite being boycotted by Democrats. Barrett’s approval of the Senate floor planned by Republicans Monday would pave the way for approval.
Democrats vehemently opposed Federal Court of Appeals Judge Barrett, who was certified by the Republican-led Senate.
“This is a fraudulent process from the beginning,” top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer and committee Democrats said in a joint statement.
“In the midst of the global epidemic and the ongoing election, Republicans are rushing to affirm Supreme Court justice to remove health care from millions and to implement a serious and deeply unpopular agenda that they are unable to achieve through Congress.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has placed a high priority on Trump’s traditional legal appointments, is working to confirm Barrett’s term of office before the Nov. 3 election, as requested by the Republican president. Republicans have a Senate majority of 53-47.
‘Breakneck Speed’
Liberal Justice Ruth Bader, who died in September, nominated Trump Barrett to replace Ginsberg. The nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court has not been confirmed close to the Senate presidential election.
Democrats have reiterated their anger that Senate Republicans went ahead with the nomination after the chamber refused to deal with the Supreme Court nomination in 2016 as it was election year for Trump’s Democratic ancestor Barack Obama.
“Now, Republicans are moving at breakneck speed through the nominee, ignoring her embarrassing record and unprecedented evasions and violating long-standing committee rules to determine tomorrow’s vote,” Democrats said in a statement.
Trump has made it clear that he believes the Supreme Court will determine the outcome of the election because he faces Democratic challenger Joe Biden and wants Barrett on the bench for any election-related cases.
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