U.S. Senate panel announces October 12 Supreme Court confirmation hearing

[webfact]

U.S. Senate panel announces October 12 Supreme Court confirmation hearing

 

FILE PHOTO: Judge Amy Coney Barrett meets with United States Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO.), not pictured, at the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 1, 2020. Demetrius Freeman/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee announced on Monday that it would open a confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, on Oct. 12, making clear that an outbreak of COVID-19 will not interfere with the schedule.

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the committee's chairman, announced that the hearing would start at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT) on Oct 12.

 

Opening the Senate on Monday, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the hearing would be in a hybrid format - with some members connecting remotely - because of the coronavirus.

 

"We are going ahead with the full, thorough and timely confirmation process that Judge Barrett and the court deserve," McConnell said.

 

Two committee members, Republicans Thom Tillis and Mike Lee, tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days. Both were at the White House on Sept. 26 when Trump introduced Barrett as his nominee to replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month.

 

Other attendees at that event - many of whom did not wear protective face coverings - have also tested positive.

 

Trump was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center near Washington on Friday hours after he announced he had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Trump was due to return to the White House on Monday.

 

McConnell also said the Senate would adjourn for two weeks.

 

Despite the objections of Democrats, who want to wait for the results of the Nov. 3 election before the nomination of a new Supreme Court justice, Republicans have been working to confirm Ginsburg's replacement before voters go to the polls.

 

After McConnell spoke, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said the Senate should be debating legislation to help Americans struggling with the coronavirus. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and more than 200,000 have died during the pandemic.

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-06

 

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[2 is 1]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Opening the Senate on Monday, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the hearing would be in a hybrid format - with some members connecting remotely - because of the coronavirus.

Now Republican's bending the LAW!

[riclag]

The law makers are gonna fill the seat 

God bless you Mr. Graham!

[KarenBravo]

Another example of Republican hypocrisy.

Lindsay Graham's word is meaningless. Hope he's voted out.

[yellowboat]

She's pretty. 

[wwest5829]

"The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so let's give them a voice. Let's let the American people decide. The Senate will appropriately revisit the matter when it considers the qualifications of the nominee the next president nominates, whoever that might be," McConnell said. Oh, right, that was 2016. The hypocrisy is duly noted by history for all time. You, sir, and your ilk have firmly declared what the current "Republican Party" supports ...

[riclag]

21 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

"The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so let's give them a voice. Let's let the American people decide. The Senate will appropriately revisit the matter when it considers the qualifications of the nominee the next president nominates, whoever that might be," McConnell said. Oh, right, that was 2016. The hypocrisy is duly noted by history for all time. You, sir, and your ilk have firmly declared what the current "Republican Party" supports ...

American's already had their say  twice since 201sixteen !  By Voting the gop senate into a majority ,the people entrusted the gop to carry out its constitutional duty!

Those lawmakers are gonna fill the seat despite   a stupid poll  and a dyeing ladies wishes

This is the real democratic way! 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by riclag

[Tippaporn]

Get 'er done.  Trifecta.

[Chomper Higgot]

The game’s not yet over.

 

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

American's already had their say  twice since 201sixteen !  By Voting the gop senate into a majority ,the people entrusted the gop to carry out its constitutional duty!

Those lawmakers are gonna fill the seat despite   a stupid poll  and a dyeing ladies wishes

This is the real democratic way! 

 

Just like those Republican Senators did with the nominated candidate of Merrick Garland in 2016? Hypocrisy. Yea, except you are not reflecting the facts ... that two Senators are mandated from each state and then if one thinks ... how many voters voted for those Republican versus the number who voted for Democrat Senators. Democracy? Same as having The Donald in the White House after the majority of 3 million voted for the other candidate. Democracy indeed ... but you may be correct. Come November, I may not have a country.

Edited October 6, 2020 by wwest5829

[billd766]

9 hours ago, riclag said:

The law makers are gonna fill the seat 

God bless you Mr. Graham!

Whats the rush all about?

 

It is about Trump being re-elected as usual and not much to do with the law.

 

If she is good enough then after the election she will still be good enough. Basically it is all about scoring points as usual.

[riclag]

26 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Yea, except you are not reflecting the facts ... that two Senators are mandated from each state and then if one thinks ... how many voters voted for those Republican versus the number who voted for Democrat Senators. Democracy? Same as having The Donald in the White House after the majority of 3 million voted for the other candidate. Democracy indeed ... but you may be correct. Come November, I may not have a country.

Thats democracy ! The fact is this constitutional way of the senate majority confirming a SCJ  as I described in my comment above, has been around for a couple of centuries ! I have no idea why your mentioning another sob story of 3 million votes which is irrelevant  ! The second  misconception on your part with the constitution ,electoral college votes a POTUS not the popular vote! Another 2 century commonality 

Fill the seat

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by riclag

[riclag]

4 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Whats the rush all about?

 

It is about Trump being re-elected as usual and not much to do with the law.

 

If she is good enough then after the election she will still be good enough. Basically it is all about scoring points as usual.

What rush ,your President already fulfilled his given right by the constitution !

I think you might be confused as to who is gonna make the next constitutional right, that has been in place for two centuries!

 

Fill the seat

 

 

 

 

[ballpoint]

The key thing about this is, despite all their bravado and swagger, Trump, his supporters, and the Republicans in the senate know he's going to be voted out in November.  If they had even a shred of confidence they'd be saying "Why hurry?  We can do it after the election".

[riclag]

23 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

The key thing about this is, despite all their bravado and swagger, Trump, his supporters, and the Republicans in the senate know he's going to be voted out in November.  If they had even a shred of confidence they'd be saying "Why hurry?  We can do it after the election".

Thats on the mind of many on  the opposition,goin to be voted out!  Personally speaking, never let a dem crisis go to waste is my mantra ! 

Secondly Trump has filled his duty already, the gop senate with the majority has the constitutional right to do what the American people voted and entrusted that body to do!

Lastly, many people who could take or leave Mr. Trump voted for the senate twice since 201sixteen just for this opportunity, that's one other very very important talking point! Can't disappoint them and the others

Edited October 6, 2020 by riclag

[Yellowtail]

12 hours ago, ballpoint said:

The key thing about this is, despite all their bravado and swagger, Trump, his supporters, and the Republicans in the senate know he's going to be voted out in November.  If they had even a shred of confidence they'd be saying "Why hurry?  We can do it after the election".

 

He could win or lose, anyone that thinks otherwise is a fool. Getting a conservative judge confirmed is too important to take that big a chance. 

 

If you had a shred of confidence Biden will win you wouldn't all nutted up about Trump and the court. When Biden wins he'll add six more leftists to the court and four more leftists to to senate. 

 

Relax, you'll get all the free stuff.

[Sujo]

The senate panel has 3 covid positive members at the moment.  With those 3 in quarantine and all 8 dems refusing to attend, the panel does not have the votes to pass it onto the senate.

 

Will be interesting to see what happens.

[mtraveler]

17 hours ago, riclag said:

Thats on the mind of many on  the opposition,goin to be voted out!  Personally speaking, never let a dem crisis go to waste is my mantra ! 

Secondly Trump has filled his duty already, the gop senate with the majority has the constitutional right to do what the American people voted and entrusted that body to do!

Lastly, many people who could take or leave Mr. Trump voted for the senate twice since 201sixteen just for this opportunity, that's one other very very important talking point! Can't disappoint them and the others

There has only been one chance to vote for Senators since 2016, in the 2018 elections.  (If they voted twice, maybe Trump is right about voting irregularities!)

 

Though the results in the Senate were close (a net gain of 2 seats for Senators), Democrats won resoundingly in the House of Representatives, having a net gain of 40 seats.  These facts might upend your talking point.  And perhaps many disappointed people, contrary to what you claim. 

 

Please remember that the Senate only re-seats 1/3 of the members each 2 years, since they serve for 6 years.  In 2018, there were 26 seats for Democrats up for grabs (including 2 independents that caucus with them), and only 9 Republicans.  2 seats changed hands from Republican to Democratic, 4 seats changed from Democratic to Republican.  Based on how many seats were available per party, the change was about the same, when you consider the percentages.  So, I would say that in the Senate the net results were effectively nil.   

 

My final thought.  I think the disappointment here by those on the left is that there is not a sense of fairness the way McConnell handled the Garland situation compared to the way he's treating Barrett's nomination.  I think we all look for symmetry in fairness, and in this case it does not exist at all. To many, it just feels like McConnell is making up rules out of thin air, to suit his purposes. Of course you're right that he and the Republicans can do whatever they want, and is their right to.  But it sure looks and smells unsavory.