Schumer: Dems won't boycott Kavanaugh hearings, votes
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Top Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer shot down suggestions Tuesday that his party would boycott committee meetings or Senate floor action to try to derail President Trump’s Supreme Court pick.
Liberal activists have demanded Mr. Schumer use every tool at his disposal to try to thwart the elevation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the high court, including parliamentary delays.
Mr. Schumer, though, said there aren’t a lot of good tools left to the minority party to delay action now that both parties have curtailed the filibuster, and he said boycotting the committee or floor would just leave Republicans more space to get their way.
“If we did, they could unanimously consent to all kinds of things,” the New York Democrat said.
He said Democrats are confident they can defeat Judge Kavanaugh on substantive issues by arguing to Americans that abortion rights will be more limited and the remaining parts of Obamacare could be struck down should the high court tilt to the right.
Judge Kavanaugh has not said he would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion ruling nor would he necessarily be the swing vote on Obamacare, but Democrats said the dangers are too great to accept.
“If we can convince the American people that Judge Kavanaugh on the court would lead to the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and protections of people with preexisting conditions and repeal women’s reproductive rights, then we will get a majority in the Senate to vote him down,” Mr. Schumer said.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jul/10/schumer-dems-wont-boycott-kavanaugh-hearings-votes/?
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