The Judiciary Committee's 12-0 vote to move the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the full Senate not only violated committee rules, but also threatens the dire consequences for generations to come, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said at press conference on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2020) The Judiciary Committee's 12-0 vote to move the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the full Senate not only violated committee rules, but also threatens the dire consequences for generations to come, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said at press conference on Thursday.
"The rules require two members of the [Judiciary] committee to vote anyone out of the committee. But Chairman [Lindsey] Graham just steamrolled over them just like the Republican majority has steamrolled over principles of fairness, honesty, truth and decency in their rush to confirm a justice," Schumer said.
Without a single Democrat present, the committee approved Barrett's nomination in a 12-0 vote, despite the absence of a quorum, which committee rules define as: "Nine Members of the Committee, including at least two Members of the minority."
Graham said earlier that he would waive the rule following an announcement that Democrats would boycott Thursday's hearing.
Schumer said Barrett's confirmation "will have dire consequences for the Supreme court and our entire country for generations to come."
"Lives will be turned upside down if a Justice Barrett delivers the decisive vote to secure the long-held Republican goal of destroying the Affordable Care act, stripping health care and pre-existing conditions for millions of Americans," Schumer said.
The nomination now goes to the full Senate, where confirmation of the Barret is expected to be approved in a straight party-line vote in the Republican-led chamber on October 26, prior to the November 3 presidential election.
Barrett's confirmation would give the high court a solid conservative majority shortly before justices take up the latest lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. The court has previously rejected other constitutional challenges to the law, widely known as Obamacare.
