Durbin: GOP needs to avoid ‘nuclear’ option on Gorsuch

Posted on March 29, 2017
Neil Gorsuch
Neil Gorusch was nominated by President Trump in January to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy caused by the death of Antonin Scalia. (Photo courtesy Neil Gorsuch/Facebook)

By RFD Radio/WFMB

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., revealed on the Senate floor Tuesday he will vote against Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court in the Judiciary Committee and the Senate floor.

Durbin also said the simple majority nuclear option should not come into play, based on the past words of the man indicating he may use it, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“Majority Leader McConnell has made clear time and again that 60 votes is the standard for matters of controversy in the Senate,” Durbin said.

Durbin added legal and constitutional issues are haunting the White House, so getting 60 votes is even more important, rather than a simple majority.

“Sixty votes is a threshold that Supreme Court nominees have met for the past quarter century,” Durbin said. “If a Supreme Court nominee cannot garner 60 votes in the Senate, then the president should put forward a new nominee.”

Durbin maintains Gorsuch avoided critical questions during his testimony.

A nomination vote is expected April 7.

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