RNC head: Dems acting ‘petty’ to Gorsuch

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel on Monday scolded Democrats for delaying an initial committee vote on Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said earlier Monday that Democrats requested that the panel’s vote on Gorsuch be moved to next week. The delay suggests that Democrats could attempt to filibuster Gorsuch or force Republicans to eliminate the filibuster entirely.

“Their latest petty stall tactics on Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation to the Supreme Court is just another example of the Democrats putting liberal special interests ahead of the voters they represent,” McDaniel said in a statement. “There is no legitimate reason to delay his confirmation.

{mosads}“It is time for Senate Democrats to stop playing tired political games and allow for an up-or-down vote to confirm Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.”

Committee rules state any one member can request that a nomination be delayed the first time it appears on the agenda.

Democrats were widely expected to delay the panel’s vote, which was originally scheduled for Monday, until next week.

The delay pushes the panel’s vote on Gorsuch to April 3, leaving Republicans just days to get a full Senate vote confirming the judge before the chamber’s recess at week’s end.

Democrats have threatened to filibuster Gorsuch’s confirmation, but it remains unclear whether the party has enough votes for a filibuster.

About 14 senators — largely from the Democratic Party’s progressive wing — have said they expect to oppose Gorsuch’s nomination.

No Democrats have voiced support for the judge, but most of the senators up for reelection in states Trump won during last year’s presidential election remain undecided on whether they would back a filibuster.

Republicans have suggested they may change the Senate rules for filibustering Supreme Court nominees — the so-called nuclear option — if Democrats block Gorsuch.

Democrats remain frustrated that Republicans refused to give Judge Merrick Garland, former President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, a hearing or a vote last year.