In the wake of numerous landmark SCOTUS rulings, and the retirement of swing-vote Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, many top Democrats are beside themselves; Pennsylvania Democrats are no exception. Senator Bob Casey Jr., a self-proclaimed pro-life champion of the Democratic Party, has already ruled out voting to confirm President Trump’s inevitable pro-life Supreme Court nominee.
If an individual from the list provided to candidate Donald Trump by far-right organizations like the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society is nominated, then I am highly unlikely to support that nominee.
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) June 27, 2018
Casey idealizes himself to his Pennsylvania constituents as an average Commonwealth resident, and a moderate Democrat who allegedly supports pro-life values, but has already written off President Trump’s soon-to-be nominee, who will more than likely be a staunchly pro-life Conservative.
Per a press release from Casey’s Republican challenger, Pennsylvania Congressman Lou Barletta, the Senator voted for 100% of President Obama’s judicial nominees, and just 45% of President Trump’s to date. The sitting Senator also voted against the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch, and joined the Democratic filibuster in attempt to block Gorsuch. Most notably, Senator Casey is calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to delay the vote on President Trump’s eventual nominee until after the midterms, but seems to forget that he himself fiercely supported former President Obama’s nomination of Justice Elena Kagan in the Fall of 2010, right before a midterm election.
Democrats in all factions of the party are calling on Leader McConnell to hold off on a vote due to the supposed ‘McConnell rule,’ but this narrative is nothing more than an attempt by Democrats to re-write history. McConnell followed the precedent set by then-Senator Joe Biden, urging the Senate to not vote on a SCOTUS nominee in a general election year. He also famously warned then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid not to destroy the filibuster option, and change the rules of the Senate. Senator Casey seems to forget what actually occurred in 2016, and the consequences of the precedent created by Biden and Reid:
The @SenateMajLdr should follow his own rule. The Senate should only consider this nomination when a new Senate is seated in January. https://t.co/O2Tz39U5eA
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) June 27, 2018
While condemning the decisions of the Supreme Court on crucial freedom issues including mandated union dues for American workers, freedom of speech for faith-based, pro-life health clinics and the legality of President Trump’s travel ban, Senator Casey seems to forget that the Supreme Court’s singular job is to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, the law of the land.
This premature stunt by previously-moderate Senator Bob Casey Jr. is not the first, and likely will not be his last, obstructionist move in attempt to block the advancement of any and all items of President Trump’s agenda.
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