Posted on 11/28/2018 4:47:53 PM PST by yesthatjallen
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) announced Wednesday that he is canceling votes on nearly two dozen of President Trump’s judicial nominees that were expected to come up in the Judiciary Committee this week.
The cancellation of the committee’s Thursday business meeting comes as Senate Republicans are in a standoff with outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who has vowed to oppose all court picks until he gets a vote on legislation protecting special counsel Robert Mueller.
The notification from the Judiciary Committee didn’t specify when, or if, the committee votes on the nominations would be rescheduled. Six circuit court nominees had been expected to get a vote, as well as 15 district court nominees.
But Grassley warned late Wednesday afternoon that he would likely cancel the meeting unless he could get a deal with Flake that would allow the nominations to move forward.
“We haven’t cancelled the meeting yet,” Grassley said roughly an hour before the announcement. “If we don’t get a positive out of it, we’ll probably cancel the meeting.”
Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate allowing them to move Trump's nominees despite Flake as long as the remaining 50 Republican senators remain united.
But on the Judiciary Committee Republicans are limited to a 11-10 majority meaning they need Flake's support unless they can get help from Democrats.
"We can vote on all the people who cleared the committee," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the No. 2 Republican senator and member of the Judiciary Committee. "But in terms of getting a vote out of committee we need his help."
Flake reiterated earlier Wednesday that he remains committed to opposing nominees until he gets a vote on the Mueller protection bill. He tried to get consent to schedule a vote on the bill Wednesday but was blocked by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who warned that the legislation was unconstitutional.
The resolution, which cleared the Judiciary Committee earlier this year, would protect Mueller, or any other special counsel, in the event he is fired, but the bill has stalled amid opposition from GOP leadership.
The bill would codify Justice Department regulations that say only a senior department official could fire Mueller or another special counsel.
It would give a special counsel an "expedited review" of their firing. If a court determines that it wasn't for "good cause," the special counsel would be reinstated.
I can't prove it but I think that was a setup for some Kabuki Theater to give the Flake reason to waffle. Not like the traitor needed a reason. It was just political cover.
Done and done!
Remove him from the committee. How is this hard?
53-47 on Jan. 3
AZ voters must be the most confused in the country. They must be overrun with Californians.
Make it known to Flake that any company who hires him will be ignored by the Senate. Also tell Flake that the house he owns will be condemned as not fit for human habitation and torn down. Tell Flake that wherever he drives, he will receive countless tickets for speeding and running stop signs. Finally inform Flake that he cannot buy food, gas or clothing in Arizona or within 500 miles of Arizona.
Or just tell Flake nobody on his staff will be working on The Hill on the GOP side in the next Congress if he does not play team ball in the lame duck session. The Flake tantrum should have been put to bed before Thanksgiving with hard ball tactics like that.
When this slimy turd Flake makes his farewell speech EVERY Republican should walk off the floor of the Senate. He deserves nothing but scorn. He has done more to hurt Republicans and Conservatives than any one I can think of. WHAT AN ASSHOLE!
McConnell is doing his job on judges. He doesn’t get a participation trophy from me for that. And it’s not clear how solid these judges going to be. The CNN case judge certainly does not bode well for “Trump judges.” Time will tell of course.
Someone living in CA where Uncle Sam moved me? Someone who lives in a district that just reelected a Combat Vet Republican? No, I'm not sh*tting you. Just speaking the truth...
I love that photo in Post 9. Kennedy is looking at Flake like he is thinking “this pansy Flake looks like he just got hit by a little 93 year old lady with her parasol and he is in shell shock!”
Dan Bongino speaks of Mr. Mueller in a disturbing way in the following 37 min. video. Mueller is named at 22:15 concerning alleged post-election coverup (my words).
Dan Bongino - Obama, Mueller and the Biggest Scam in American History
He needs the liberty of the cudgel.
It is thread worthy. Very good news. Confirmation tomorrow.
I don’t have time to keep up with it.
THere is no time to waste but these morons flail about as if there is no urgency at all. Maybe they can vote the judges through en masse next term. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
“Can you imagine a Democrat pulling a stunt like this? Not in a million years.”
For all intents and purposes, it is a democrat pulling this stunt.
A flake to the bitter, bitter end.
Consolation: he is highly unpopular in Arizona.
Toss Flake off the committee. He is a subversive. Replace him now.
And never put puke Romney on the Senate Judiciary.
Excuse my ignorance, and that’s not a sarcastic statement, I dont know.
Shouldn’t it be a breeze with 53 senators?
How many moron R senators are there right now?
I know there’s romney, I think one from Maine and another I forget where from.
Is this how they vote on judges? Simple majority, and the VP can break a 50 50 tie?
Bingo.
Good move. Toss Kamala off Senate Judiciary.
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