Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), has indicated that regardless of whether the full Senate is in session at the moment, he intends to move forward on schedule with the confirmation of President Trump’s nominee to the US Supreme Court.
“I’m planning on moving to the nomination as soon as it comes out of committee,” McConnell said at a recent press conference in Kentucky. His determination came in response to a question on whether the full Senate confirmation vote would take place before Election Day.
McConnell had previously said he planned to hold a vote on Amy Coney Barrett during President Trump’s term but did wasn’t specific on whether the vote would take place before or after the November election.
The Senate Majority Leader’s statement comes as congressional Democrats are using every tool at their disposal to delay and derail Barrett’s confirmation to the high Court.
In light of Senate Judiciary Committee members, Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mike Lee (R-UT), testing positive for COVID, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), shamelessly exploited the situation for political purposes.
“We now have two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have tested positive for COVID, and there may be more. I wish my colleagues well,” Schumer tweeted. “It is irresponsible and dangerous to move forward with a hearing, and there is absolutely no good reason to do so.”
We now have two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have tested positive for COVID, and there may be more. I wish my colleagues well.
It is irresponsible and dangerous to move forward with a hearing, and there is absolutely no good reason to do so.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 3, 2020
McConnell rejected Schumer’s premise and said there would be no delay. “We’ve been operating in the same environment now since the first of May and been able to do Senate business. There’s no reason why we can’t continue to do that,” he said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled its first confirmation hearing for Barrett for October 12, 2020. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the committee chairman, said he will hold the vote on the nominee on October 22, 2020. The Senate will have 11 days before the election to hold a full floor vote to confirm.
