On Thursday, Senate Republicans crushed through a Democrat effort to block the confirmation of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. At the time, Alabama’s Senators were both on hand to help move along the process by voting in favor of the so-called “nuclear option.”
The” nuclear option” changed current Senate rules, which require 60 votes to break a filibuster. Under the new GOP rule, only 50 would be required to push through a vote for the Supreme Court. It passed by 52 to 48 on Thursday.
In a statement, Sen. Richard Shelby said the burden of the rule change rests squarely on the shoulders of Democrats, who failed to uphold the body’s tradition by deciding first to filibuster Gorsuch.
“Judge Gorsuch is one of the most qualified nominees that I have seen while serving in the United States Senate,” Sen. Shelby said. “His background, credentials, and commitment to the Constitution speak for themselves. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats decided to put partisan politics ahead of what is best for our nation.”
He added that he “fully supports” the rules change in order to push through the confirmation.
“The American people spoke clearly when they elected President Trump, and their voices deserve to be heard. By filibustering this nomination, the Democrats are disregarding 230 years of precedent and tradition.”
The vote invoked ire from Democrat leaders on the Senate floor, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stood firm over the rule change.
“This will be the first and last partisan filibuster of the Supreme Court,” McConnell said.
In earlier statements, Senator Luther Strange also indicated that he would support the vote against Democrats who want to “simply obstruct the president’s agenda.”
“Every judge nominated to the Supreme Court has had the opportunity, with a very rare exception, to get an up or down vote,” Sen. Strange said. “Even Clarence Thomas, and the controversial days of his nomination, got an up or down vote in a Democrat-controlled Senate.”
Gorsuch is expected to come up for a full Senate vote on Friday.
