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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNo, the Republicans cannot, by themselves, block a vote on a Biden SCOTUS nominee.
These is a post in GD that claims that the Republicans have a way to block a vote on Biden's SCOTUS nominee and, implicitly, blames Schumer for making a bad deal with McConnell in the power sharing agreement. (S. Res. 27).
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=16289270
Don't be fooled. The article cited in that OP is spreading disinformation.
Specifically, it claims that if the Judiciary Committee splits evenly on a nomination, it cannot reach the floor if a motion to discharge passes with 60 votes. WRONG. All it takes to discharge the nomination is a simple majority of the whole senate. And multiple nominations have been moved to the floor by means of motion to discharge that passed with a simple majority. In most instances, the simple majority is achieved because some Republican senators choose not to vote. But even where the motion to discharge is tied 50-50, it passes because Harris can break the tie ---- something she has done on a couple of occasions.
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00462.htm
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00161.htm
onecaliberal
(32,777 posts)onenote
(42,581 posts)And neither has voted against any Biden nominee.
The most likely nominee is Kenjani Brown Jackson, who served on he District Court from 2013 to 2021 (confirmed by voice vote) and then was confirmed to a spot on the DC Circuit by a 53-44 vote with every Democrat supporting the nomination (including Manchin and Sinema) and three repubs (Murkowski, Collins and Graham). I fully expect Graham, who has no spine, to reverse himself and vote against her. But I also would not be surprised if Murkowski and/or Collins vote to confirm her.
wryter2000
(46,023 posts)They're done blocking voting rights. I hope they're not craving attention.
lame54
(35,262 posts)You have no guarantees to offer
onenote
(42,581 posts)lame54
(35,262 posts)Your first one didn't go through
lame54
(35,262 posts)You have no guarantees to offer
ShazzieB
(16,272 posts)But the potential likely nominee is Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Just wanted to point that out.
onetexan
(13,020 posts)whopis01
(3,491 posts)brought on by being the pivotal vote(s).
In the example you gave, had they voted against confirmation, it would have still passed with 51 votes. So going against the party wouldn't have brought significant media attention on them.
If their votes can make the difference, I have a strong feeling that they will want to make that known.
onenote
(42,581 posts)if that's all they cared about.
But they didn't do that.
whopis01
(3,491 posts)The vote would have gone through without them.
They would have appeared as being against Biden, but not really wielding any power.
When they are the lynchpin, they get the attention that they want.
onenote
(42,581 posts)The $1.9 trillion stimulus bill that passed in March -- required Harris to break a tie 50-50 tie to move it forward. Seems like if attention was the motivation, that would've been a prime target for Manchen and/or Sinema. And one or more tie-breaking votes were needed to move eight of Biden's nominees across the finish line -- they would not have "gone through without them."
I suspect a lot of things motivate Sinema and Manchin -- most of which seem flimsy. But merely getting attention doesn't seem to be the "linchpin" (or, as your post says, "lynchpin" .
whopis01
(3,491 posts)I am honestly amazed I have made it this far in life and never realized how that was spelled. (Just in case this reads differently than I intend - I mean this with all honesty and no snark at all).
As far as Sinema or Manchin go, neither of us knows what they are going to do right now. We shall see soon enough. Obviously I hope you are correct here. I think your points are valid - but I think mine are as well.
obamanut2012
(26,046 posts)That is likely who Biden will nominate. They are not voting against her.
DENVERPOPS
(8,789 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(57,290 posts)bottomofthehill
(8,318 posts)She breaks the tie to move the nomination on the Senate Floor.
onenote
(42,581 posts)The power sharing agreement provides that if there is deadlock in Committee, the Committee chair can notify the Secretary of the Senate of the deadlock, and then can call for a vote by the full senate on a "discharge" motion that only needs a simple majority. Once the discharge motion is approved, there is another vote, this time on cloture, that also just requires a simple majority vote. And then a vote on the nomination.
It adds a couple of steps, but it doesn't change the outcome.
wryter2000
(46,023 posts)I wonder if Murkowski and/or Collins might vote for the nominee in the full Senate.
onenote
(42,581 posts)Particularly if the nominee is a Black woman, with a decade of judicial experience that they both supported seven months ago.
wryter2000
(46,023 posts)Its an ugly bunch
tritsofme
(17,370 posts)onenote
(42,581 posts)He's the embodiment of wishy-washy, so i don't think his vote to confirm her to the Court of Appeals means squat to him.
However, I can see Murkowski and/or Collins supporting Jackson
Marcuse
(7,446 posts)keithbvadu2
(36,655 posts)Moscow Mitch: But it's not right that a democrat with less than four years left in his term can get a SC Justice in place.
???
He'll just say it's an election year, and "the people" should have a voice. Meaning that they should have a chance to steal the Senate, and then be able to block every nominee for every court, agency, etc, etc, Biden has come up from here until the end of his term(s).
markpkessinger
(8,392 posts)...As minority leader, he has no such power.
GB_RN
(2,334 posts)However, that doesn't, nor will it, stop him from being a supremely hypocritical douchebag, saying exactly the kind of thing I stated above by relying on the fact that a lot of Americans (including 99% of Republicans) have very short memories and that the media won't ever call him on his hypocrisy.
Irish_Dem
(46,492 posts)Via his proxies.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)Celerity
(43,093 posts)William769
(55,142 posts)Is a little help from their friends. Manchin & Sinema.
onenote
(42,581 posts)And its very likely that Biden's nominee will be someone that Manchin and Sinema both voted for less than 7 months ago.
William769
(55,142 posts)I guess these two have disappointed me so much that I just see the worst in them.
Thanks for that.
Calista241
(5,586 posts)3 of them voted for Ketanji Brown Jackson on the DC circuit. They'd like to be able to say that Mark Kelly, Raphael Warnock and Catherine Cortez Masto were the deciding votes, and use it against them in November.
If a Repub votes for for the nominee, that takes that attack angel off the table.
ColinC
(8,278 posts)I sent him and time a message and deleted my other post as you seem to be right about this. Really sad if time knowingly is peddling misinformation like this.
onenote
(42,581 posts)Maybe Time will be more responsive.
ColinC
(8,278 posts)I expect better from them.
ColinC
(8,278 posts)Correcting him, apparently. Just wow..
onenote
(42,581 posts)ColinC
(8,278 posts)ColinC
(8,278 posts)...and of course destroyed the entire premise the article was based on. Still can't believe they made such a huge mistake. Sheesh.
Celerity
(43,093 posts)choie
(4,107 posts)"By themselves"
WarGamer
(12,344 posts)I'd bet that 3_ GOP'ers vote YES.
Maybe 4 with Romney changing his vote on Judge Jackson for her confirmation hearing last year.
LetMyPeopleVote
(144,919 posts)According to Senator Klobuchar, this cannot be blocked under Rule 14
Irish_Dem
(46,492 posts)In terms of blocking it.
He has all kinds of backdoor power.
onenote
(42,581 posts)Irish_Dem
(46,492 posts)This is not a deal breaking issue for him.
So he will keep his powder dry.
He let Biden get one bill past.
The rest he will block.
onenote
(42,581 posts)BTW, how come he's allowed Biden to get a record number of District and Appeals Court judges confirmed, even in situations where all he needed is one vote to prevent it?