Monday, September 21, 2020

Collins and Murkowski should abstain

Namely, both senators should abstain from the vote for confirmation if it is held before Election Day.  If their opposition is to the timing and not the nominee, why should they vote no?  Both senators have made clear that their opposition is to the timing.

American Thinker  "As the Holy War concerning filling Justice Ginsburg's seat begins in earnest, one question the Republican side and President Trump should certainly pose is, what would the Democrats do if the situation were reversed?  Without question, they would have a Democrat president nominate a new justice, and the Democrat Senate majority would rush to confirm that nominee.  In all likelihood, Democrat discipline would work to hold their majority together, and the nominee would be confirmed.

"Already, two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have indicated they would not vote to confirm a newly appointed justice before Election Day in November.  Collins has gone farther, indicating she would want the newly elected president to fill the seat.  If the winner is Trump, then in essence she is saying she would consider voting for Trump's nominee, probably to be announced this week, if the confirmation vote were held after Election Day.  

"Collins has never opposed a Supreme Court nominee proposed by a president from either party since she took office.  She has supported well over 90 percent of judicial nominees proposed by President Trump.  She may be trying to restore her reputation of independence among voters in Maine, who at the moment appear to favor her rival, Sara Gideon, for the Senate seat being decided in less than seven weeks.  Collins voted for Brett Kavanaugh and made a principled, comprehensive presentation of her reasons for doing so.  Her vote was the one that put Kavanaugh over the top. " . . .

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