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March 23, 2017 04:35 PM UTC

Democrats Will Filibuster Gorsuch--All Eyes on Michael Bennet

  • 31 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: 9NEWS’ Brandon Rittiman:

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) hasn’t responded to the growing calls within his party to try to block President Donald Trump’s first pick for the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Thursday morning, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer promised a filibuster of Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation vote, which sets the stage for Republicans to use the so-called “nuclear option” to confirm Gorsuch with a simple majority…

“Michael has not decided on how he will vote on the nomination or a potential filibuster,” Bennet spokeswoman Laurie Cipriano told 9NEWS. “He is closely watching this week’s hearings and carefully reviewing Gorsuch’s record before he makes a decision.”

—–

Sen. Michael Bennet (D).

Washington Post via Denver Post:

As the Senate Judiciary Committee was hearing from witnesses for and against Judge Neil Gorsuch, his Supreme Court nomination was delivered a critical blow: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., announced he would oppose Gorsuch and join other Democrats in filibustering the nomination, making it likely that the judge will struggle to find the support needed to clear a 60-vote procedural hurdle.

Gorsuch “was unable to sufficiently convince me that he’d be an independent check” on President Donald Trump, Schumer said in a Senate floor speech.

Gorsuch is “not a neutral legal mind but someone with a deep-seated conservative ideology,” Schumer added. “He was groomed by the Federalist Society and has shown not one inch of difference between his views and theirs.”

The resolve by Senate Democrats to proceed with a filibuster of Neil Gorsuch’s nomination sets off a battle that may end in the long-feared “nuclear option,” short-circuiting Senate rules to eliminate the 60-vote requirement to end debate on a Supreme Court nomination. Or, it’s possible that Republicans could blink–the “nuclear option” is already a fact of life for Senate-approved nominations other than the Supreme Court, but to take this step for the nation’s singularly important lifetime appointment would be a radical step with portentous consequences.

And the one question that Colorado needs answered, right now: will Sen. Michael Bennet join his fellow Democrats? This is the question that will drive the news in our state today (well, aside from that healthcare thing).

And depending on what Bennet does next, maybe across the nation. Stay tuned…

Comments

31 thoughts on “Democrats Will Filibuster Gorsuch–All Eyes on Michael Bennet

  1. Well, let's see what the math looks like in Upper Thurstonia.

    He's already guaranteed a primary from the left, regardless of what he does, but, unless the left starts prepping a candidate now, they probably won't have enough momentum by 2022 to challenge him effectively (hint, hint, get crackin' kids).

    So, his big concern in voting for cloture will be, I think, a primary from the middle.  With Perlmutter likely to be governor, and Crisanta Duran probably eyeing DeGette’s seat, I'm not sure who challenges him, so he might take the chance.  On the other hand, who would want to eat the blowback from that for five years, so maybe not.

    The Rs will have to be looking for a few votes, outside of the Dems in states that are strongly R+, and he is from Colorado, so I'll hope for the best, but, knowing that two wrongs don't make a right, I'll say Colonel Mustard, in the library, with the revolver.  Oh, and I think Bennet will vote for cloture, and possibly then against the nominee in an effort to thread the needle.

  2. I guarantee you he has no stomach for a filibuster. 

    He may be part of this

    Politico reports that a small group of Democrats want to strike a deal to confirm Gorsuch “in exchange for a commitment from Republicans not to kill the filibuster for a subsequent vacancy during President Donald Trump’s term.” Such a deal would be unenforceable, and Republicans who agree to it would come under extraordinary pressure from well-moneyed interest groups to break the deal if another vacancy should arise on the Court.

    Such a deal, however, would require eight Democrats, and it is far from clear that eight members of Schumer’s party will cave to Donald Trump and agree to turn control of the Supreme Court over to the GOP. Significantly, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), a moderate Democrat from a state Trump narrowly won last November, also announced on Thursday that he will vote “no” if Republicans attempt to break a filibuster of the Gorsuch nomination.

    Another Gang of Eight…….God help us. 

    If ANY Dem in the Senate trusts Senate Republicans at this point – especially Majority Leader McConnell, they ought to have their head examined.

          1. I have lost two of my beloved dachshunds and not a day goes by without missing them.  Still have Riley, the survivor of a bonded pair.  With dachshunds in your life, there is never a dull moment.  

            1. I'm with you "V".  Wilson was 15 & 3 months when we had to let him go. What a great joy both the dogs were. Makes having to live among humans tolerable. Now we have Percy, a retired Champion English Springer Spaniel. Soon Harper will join us and we will have the next iteration of "Powerful Pear".

            2. Voyager,

              My sympathies to you on your loss. I feel your pain as last week I learned Tula, my 8 yo Boxer and best friend,  has cancer (lymphoma). Soon she will be crossing the Rainbow Bridge, but her paw prints will be in my heart forever.

    1. YOU, the relentlessly amoral champion of the 1%, have the unmitigated GALL to call someone else "Thurston," CarnHolio?

      Then again, you greedy, miserable bastards never did lack for bald-faced hypocrisy, or sheer, unbridled chutzpah.

  3. Post fires shots across the Bennet's bow.

    Bennet has the chance to help the nation avoid that dangerous path. He needs to take it and show Democrats the way forward — or stay in Washington, where his real interests appear to be.

    1. LAME Op-Ed by Chucky Baby with weak logic, misspelled words, a tenuous grasp of facts (if you think facts would matter to a newspaperman) and a solicitous attitude towards Bennet.

      The Post is dying to have Gorsuch on the bench and considers him qualified mostly because of where he was born.&nbsp That's how  also the line of attack on Bennet.)

      ("As we’ve noted several times in the run-up to Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings, the 10th Circuit judge posses (sp.) the fairness,"…..)

      Sorry, Chuck, a misspelled, fact-void editorial from a professional who should be expert with language and facts doesn't cut the mustard. 

      Dems shouldn’t have to filibuster this stolen seat.

  4. I'd rather see Democrats filibuster than walk out of the Gorsuch hearings. Michael Bennet is like Cory Gardner – both are slick politicians who try to keep raking in the donor dollars and avoid pissing off the more energetic elements of their bases. Neither one wants that photo op with the mad constituents yelling and protesting their votes. In fairness to Bennet, he has been much more available than Gardner -he’s done at least two in-person town halls that I know of.

    They'll both say anything to anybody, and they both tend to take "principled" actions that have no real risk.  Bennet’s policies, of course, are much friendlier to people, to the environment, to workers, to democracy than are Gardner’s.
    What would that look like for Bennet on the Gorsuch nomination? He'll want to draw out the hearing process until the heat dies down – so some token filibustering –  then vote for cloture and probably vote for Gorsuch, whether there is some hypothetical "deal" or not.

    1. Not unexpected that Schumer would instruct the Dems to filibuster. I hope McConnell will give them plenty of floor time, and maybe put Al Franken in charge. It  Will further cement in the publics mind what the Democratic Party has become.

      Then nuke them with the Harry Reid rule change. Gorsuch goes to the court and Democrats loose twice. 

      1. Powerful

        I think they filibuster, look like they are out of touch, but before it comes to the vote, some Hillary Clinton backing type Dems cave.

        I don't think all Dem Senators want to fall on this sword.

         

        1. Who do you think will take the fall for Obama on the wire tap of Trump? My bet is Loretta Lynch, she already dirty with the meeting with Bubba to cover for Hillary.

          1. Don't you mean "tapp"? 

            And probably nobody. Once Trump and his entire cabinet are removed for treason, an alleged wire tapp isn't a story anymore.

  5. I'm starting to wonder if Thurston is thinking about an exit from the Senate in 2022.  He's worked for Anschutz in the past, after all.  He could certainly make bucks as a lobbyist and adviser (although I'd stay away from financial advising– DPS slam!)

  6. Big choice here. Does Bennet take his cues from the anti-Bennet-anyway posters here on Colorado Pols? Or does he take his cues from the several hundred Colorado lawyers, from across the political spectrum, who have endorsed Gorsuch?

    And this is an interesting thread regardless; with the entire “gang of three” weighing in: Moderatus, Andrew Carnegie, and Passionate Prune. 

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