Posted on 11/29/2018 5:05:26 AM PST by Kaslin
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MI) won her runoff election last night over Democrat Mike Espy in Mississippi, so Republicans have a solid 53-47 majority. No longer will we have to deal with the Murkowski-Collins question when it come sot tight votes of judicial and Supreme Court nominations. We can run the table on paper, but we have a Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) problem. Yeah, Mr. Flake, the perpetual pain in the rear end of the Senate GOP, isn’t budging from his position of blocking Trump’s judicial nominees until a vote on a bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Russia investigation is brought before the Senate floor.
His antics caused the Senate Judiciary Committee to cancel tomorrow’s hearing to advance 21 judicial nominees. Flake is the deciding vote on that committee, and he’s starting to annoy the hell out of his Republican colleagues. Efforts to appease him seem to be a fool’s errand as binding legislation to protect Mueller is the only thing that will cause him to reverse course on his obstructionism over judicial nominees (via Politico):
The Senate Judiciary Committee cancelled a Thursday hearing on judicial nominees as Jeff Flake’s stand for a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller continues to wreak havoc in the lame duck session.
The panel was scheduled to advance six Circuit Court nominees, 15 District Court nominees and several bipartisan bills on Thursday to prepare them for possible floor action over the next month. But Flake, who is retiring at the end of this year, is holding firm to his vow to vote against judicial nominees on the floor and in committee unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) schedules a vote on the bipartisan special counsel legislation.
Flake and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) attempted to bring up the bill on Wednesday and were blocked by Republicans that oppose it. Relatedly, Flake voted against Thomas Farr’s nomination to be a District Court judge on Wednesday afternoon, forcing Vice President Mike Pence to break a tie after wavering Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) voted to advance Farr.
Flake’s blockade is annoying senior Republicans by slowing down confirmation of conservative judges in the narrowly divided Senate. But Flake’s tactics have been effective because Republicans have a one-seat majority on the Judiciary Committee and control just 51 votes in the Senate, so he could have tagged some nominees with an “unfavorable” recommendation if Democrats unanimously opposed them.
For those who think Jeff Flake would have won in Arizona, let me remind you that his popularity in is state is straight trash, he barely won his 2012 race, and he most likely would have been picked off in a primary. Jeff Flake cannot leave the Senate soon enough. Oh, and Flake and the late John McCain’s squishy antics seemed to have depressed Arizona GOP enthusiasm, so there’s that aspect. If Flake wants to run in 2020, and there’s some speculation that he’s considering it, he better be prepared to be ripped apart by angry conservatives for going out of his way to torpedo the Republican agenda on the Hill to spite Trump. Oh, and to be speaking to the handful of people who show up at his low energy rallies. Get lost, dude.
Flake is causing problems now for GOP and is not buckling. Hearing on 21 lifetime noms cancelled over his judicial blockade https://t.co/9gaYu4eBlB— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) November 28, 2018
With Flake holding firm in pursuing Mueller protection, Senate Judiciary cancels Thursday hearing on advancing more judicial nominees. Leaders are whipping Mueller bill to see if they can change his mind— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) November 28, 2018
This hack has burned a lot of bridges.
Good riddance.
Why do the Democrats never have Flakes? As POTUS says, they have no plan but they sure stick together on it.
What I love is that Flake is providing all the ammo necessary to LOSE all future primary elections for any office he might run for.
Seems to me that the republican leadership is using Flake as an excuse for not doing their job.
Why can’t majority “leader” Droopy Dawg remove the sniveling little traitor from the committee?
And why the hell hasn’t someone “knee capped” the little sh*t yet?
“Flake and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.)”
Shouldn’t it be Flake and his husband?
Can’t fall off if he’s never had them.
He has been fantastic with judge nominations
Why on earth do people want to go down in history as being the problem, the hinderance to what is good and just in our country? satan having a field day with many citizens and leaders in this land, Jeff just one.
I think Flakey saw how much the press sucked up to McCain and wanted to be just like him. Nothing more, nothing less.
#5 but at least that guy was shot by the terrorist as he was disgusted with him too! : )
Flake’s obstructionism isn’t Over protecting Mueller it’s all about protecting Hillary if she gets nailed she will take a lot of people down with her and the media knows it.
Jeff Flake, now his seat is in D hands, typical that is whose side he is on now. He is dumb to boot, Trump has been accused of firing Mueller since the day after he was hired, grow up!
Its time for a Trump party. The Republicans and Democrats are different wings of the UniParty. Americans know that now.
Such a man’s man...Maybe he’s trying to secure a host position on “The View”.
Jeff Flake does not deserve a position in my government, PERIOD!
Can some explain something for me? Flake is opposing a bill and has said he won’t vote for judges if the bill isn’t passed.
Why can’t the senate tell Flake to go **** himself and wait until January when Flake will be gone and several Republicans have been added to the senate? Then, vote for the judges. I’ve read that some of these judges have been waiting for awhile. What’s wrong with the judges waiting a few more weeks?
Thanks for helping me understand this.
Flake is the walking poster-boy for repeal of the 17th Amendment.
Twisted nose Jeff Flake is yesterday’s news. He will be gone before long and then the media will forget about him.
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