Posted on 10/05/2018 5:38:59 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Friday evening that she opposed Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, becoming the only Republican senator to come out against President Trump's nominee.
"I will be a no tomorrow," Murkowski said in a speech on the Senate floor after describing how she had come to lean against voting to confirm Trump's second nominee to the high court in a final vote on Saturday.
But Murkowski said that in the final tally she would ask that her vote be recorded as "present," saying she was doing it as a courtesy to Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who is slated to attend his daughter's wedding back home on Saturday.
"I do this because a friend, a colleague of ours is in Montana this evening and ... he's going to be walking his daughter down the aisle and he won't be present to vote," Murkowski said. "I have extended this as a courtesy to my friend. It will not change the outcome of the vote."
Murkowski, who voted against ending debate on Kavanaugh earlier in the day Friday, said during her speech on the Senate floor that she "was leaning toward supporting Judge Kavanaugh in his nomination."
"But we know that in our role of advice and consent, it is not just the record itself. There is more that is attached to it," she added, mentioning "matters of temperament" and "demeanor."
Murkowski announced her decision hours after it became clear that Kavanaugh had enough votes to be confirmed.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced during her own speech on the Senate floor earlier Friday that she would back his nomination ahead of a final vote set for Saturday afternoon.
Collins's support gave Republicans the necessary 50 votes to allow Vice President Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote if necessary. Collins was soon joined by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who said he would vote for Kavanaugh, giving him the support of 51 senators.
Murkowski said Friday night that she agreed with many of Collins's comments defending Kavanaugh, saying she didn't think he would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade or represented a threat to protections for people with preexisting conditions.
But she indicated that her confidence in his nomination was not high enough to bring herself to voting for him, given controversy swirling around allegations of sexual assault leveled against the nominee.
The Alaska senator acknowledged that it appeared that Kavanaugh would be seated on the Supreme Court "without my vote."
Murkowski pointed to Kavanaugh's combative testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, saying "that appearance of impropriety has become unavoidable."
She called the bitter nomination process for Kavanaugh "horrible" and "gut-wrenching," saying it had left "good people ... needlessly hurt."
I don’t trust this at all.
Daines doesn’t ahow up and what stops Murkowski from then voting no.
Nothing.
Get Daines there!
Boston is having an amazing year.
It’s quite possible at this point. Hopefully Braun sends him packing.
“That f’n Daines better be there—I don’t trust any one of the f-tards!!”
Was excoriated for saying so less forcefully yesterday.
Imagine it is June 4, 1944, and Omar Bradley walks into Eisenhower’s office and asks; “Hey Ike, you know my daughter’s getting married. It’s been planned for a long time. I mean the invasion was supposed to be today and I was fine with it but since it is delayed I have a schedule conflict. Can I have the next week off to go to the wedding? I realize the invasions is planned for the day after tomorrow but this is family. It should come first.”
This vote is that important.
Weddings are postponed every day all over the world.
Daines has since said that he will be there. Donald Jr. is evidently going to loan him a private jet. But even the suggestion of not being there should get him primaried.
It’s nice to think of baseball instead of the absolute insanity of the past couple of weeks.
.
the whole ADVISE AND CONSENT was stood on its ear, the people who did NOTHING about the damned protestors, in the building and offices are as guilty as the insane lefties, and absolutely NOTHING at all about this SCOTUS nomination has been on the up & up from the Dems and Soros interference, as well as the DEEP STATE FBI BFF Monica, pulling strings.
I would hope we could pick up enough seats to boot Murkowski for good.
Great point you made. Thanks for posting these words:
Imagine it is June 4, 1944, and Omar Bradley walks into Eisenhower’s office and asks; “Hey Ike, you know my daughter’s getting married. It’s been planned for a long time. I mean the invasion was supposed to be today and I was fine with it but since it is delayed I have a schedule conflict. Can I have the next week off to go to the wedding? I realize the invasions is planned for the day after tomorrow but this is family. It should come first.”
This vote is that important.
Wow! This man had no idea that this vote would fall on his daughter’s wedding day. This is not on him. It is on the jerks that pulled all of this nonsense. No one would have thought this would happen. Thus, everything that can be done to make sure Justice Kavanaugh is confirmed, is being done. This is NOT Daines’ fault. People make it sound like he is purposely trying to derail the nomination. That would be the liberals, not him.
I imagine, if Murk backs out, then Daines will be on a private jet in no time and be there to vote. I refuse to blast this man for wanting to participate in his daughter’s wedding. Sheesh.
They are not our leaders. They are our employees and representatives.
I have three married daughters.
Been there done that.
Daines should be at the vote. THis is not just another normal day. This is, in all probability one of the most important votes in living memory.
A better solution would be to use a video link to the wedding so he can virtually attend. Or move it a day. Weddings are delayed and postponed all the time.
His daughter needs a country live in. If the Democrats win this vote there is a very real possibility of civil war.
“The Senate is in total control of these elections. Courts have no authority to tell the Senate anything.”
Of course you are right, but that will not stop the Dems from trying. Perhaps the bigger issue would be that they would add it to their list of arguments against the legitimacy of the confirmation, and the MSM would carry their water.
Leni
The vote should have taken place earlier, but now it doesn’t matter who’s to blame for that. It is on Daines to make it back to cast his vote, and put the wedding on hold, or miss it. It’s not some kind of ultimate sacrifice like some here seem to think. It’s nothing when put into context and compared to what others have sacrificed for our country.
I was raised to honor and take seriously duty, responsibility, and accepting nothing less from others.That actually used to be NORMAL and those who ignored or shirked their duties and/or responsibilities were looked down on, condemned, and found wanting!
Frankly, I have to wonder about YOU, because you can't or refuse to understand the very simple, basic points I have made. WHY? Because you keep throwing GOD into a secular conversation and GOD's word, in the BIBLE, upholds my point of view, vis-a-vis duty and responsibility.
That’s NOT my point; but thanks for ignoring and twisting everything I’ve posted. ;^)
SPOT ON!
I hate it when they play these parsing games.
Things are looking good (knock on wood), but I won’t be relieved until he’s sworn in and hearing a case with the rest of the justices.
We all realize the wedding plans were made months ago.
But this vote is EXTREMELY important to the entire nation. This man is needed to vote in favor of Judge Kavanaugh. It is his elected duty to vote. Afterwards, he can fly home and enjoy the wedding.
“Daines should be at the vote. THis is not just another normal day. This is, in all probability one of the most important votes in living memory. A better solution would be to use a video link to the wedding so he can virtually attend. Or move it a day. Weddings are delayed and postponed all the time.”
I think Daines must be certain that Kavanaugh is confirmed. If his vote is required, Senate procedure will allow him to fly in from the wedding and announce his vote on the floor. This will not be needed because Murkowski will not go back on her promise.
I certainly agree that this is a monumental event. It is a must win. And, by God’s grace, I think we will win it.
With all that has happened I certainly understand the fear and trepidation. We can not allow anything to circumvent the confirmation.
While I think your idea for remoting into the wedding would be a good option if required, I think Daines’ decision to ask for accommodation is quite reasonable. If it was going to change the outcome of the vote, I’d agree that he should make the sacrifice necessary to get the confirmation done. As it stands I expect there to be a few Dem defections when they see that the confirmation is inevitable. We’ll see shortly.
Either way, I respect your and others’ opinions even though some of the suggestions made on the topic have been juvenile (not by you, and I’m not trying to call anyone out). We will all breathe a sigh of relief when the confirmation is successful.
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