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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Murkowski, Collins break ranks on swift SC vote

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Murkowski, Collins break ranks on swift SC vote
Murkowski, Collins break ranks on swift SC vote

[NFA] Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine broke ranks with President Donald Trump on his plan to swiftly hold a Senate vote on a potential successor to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Lisa Bernhard produced this report.

(SEN.

ELIZABETH WARREN): “Mitch McConnell believes that this fight is over.

What Mitch McConnell does not understand is that this fight has just begun.” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren over the weekend sounded the unofficial starting bell to what is shaping up to be a fierce battle in the U.S. Senate over the process to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.

After Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to push ahead with a Senate vote on her potential successor, President Trump on Saturday said he would name his nominee this week - and that it would be a woman.

He mentioned Amy Coney Barrett of the Chicago-based 7th Circuit and Barbara Lagoa of the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit as possible contenders.

Trump’s plan to quickly fill the vacancy drew immediate criticism from Democrats, who noted that in 2016, McConnell blocked a vote on a Democratic appointee, saying it was inappropriate to do so in an election year.

And as of Sunday, at least two Republican Senators broke ranks with Trump on his plan to fill the seat soon.

In a statement Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, wrote: "I did not support taking up a nomination eight months before the 2016 election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Scalia.

We are now even closer to the 2020 election – less than two months out – and I believe the same standard must apply." Republican Senator Susan Collins, in the midst of her own tight re-election battle, issued a similar statement, saying, “In order for the American people to have faith in their elected officials, we must act fairly and consistently – no matter which political party is in power….

In fairness to the American people, who will either be re-electing the President or selecting a new one, the decision on a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court should be made by the President who is elected on November 3rd.” The death of Ginsburg so close to the presidential election has energized both Trump's core supporters and the Democratic base.

Democratic donors smashed fundraising records after Ginsburg’s death on Friday, funneling more than $90 million to candidates and progressive groups in just over 24 hours.

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