GOP threatens filibuster for Mayorkas nomination to be DHS secretary

[pppolitics]

(CNN) — Senate Republicans plan to object to any efforts to quickly confirm Alejandro Mayorkas as secretary of Homeland Security, further delaying his confirmation as the department grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, national security concerns and President Joe Biden's ambitious immigration plans.

In confirming the GOP's plans to filibuster, Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told reporters Wednesday on Capitol Hill that "there's a number of problems" with Mayorkas' nomination.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has pushed to have Mayorkas confirmed quickly, but Cornyn and other Senate Republicans argue that Mayorkas hasn't been properly vetted on immigration issues and are calling for an additional hearing into his nomination.

The use of the filibuster -- to stall nominations or legislation -- has long been a favored tool of the minority party, something Schumer did often when trying to derail and delay the Republican agenda under then-President Donald Trump. In recent days, continued use of the filibuster on legislation became a central sticking point over a resolution that would allow the 50-50 Senate to officially organize, but the stall tactic is unlikely to be gutted further in this Congress because of resistance from some moderate Democrats.

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/politics/senate-republicans-mayorkas-nomination-dhs/index.html

[brucejoel99]

Schumer just filed cloture to end debate on the nomination & with Kamala, the votes to confirm are there. This "threat" is literally less than meaningless.

[BudgieForce]

Schumer just filed cloture to end debate on the nomination & with Kamala, the votes to confirm are there. This "threat" is literally less than meaningless.

And there does seem to be a few Republican's supporting his nomination too, so I don't think Kamala's vote is even needed.

[AndyHogan14]

Schumer just filed cloture to end debate on the nomination & with Kamala, the votes to confirm are there. This "threat" is literally less than meaningless.

And there does seem to be a few Republican's supporting his nomination too, so I don't think Kamala's vote is even needed.

I wonder if Schumer will have Kamala show up tomorrow just in case. With that said, can the VP break a tie for cloture? Usually the VP can't because it's a 60-vote threshold (there's no tie to break), but the fact that it's a 50+1 threshold for cabinet secretaries, makes me wonder.

[Joe Biden 2024]

I thought they'd gotten rid of the filibuster for all nominations, not just the judiciary. Am I mistaken?

[brucejoel99]

Schumer just filed cloture to end debate on the nomination & with Kamala, the votes to confirm are there. This "threat" is literally less than meaningless.

And there does seem to be a few Republican's supporting his nomination too, so I don't think Kamala's vote is even needed.

I wonder if Schumer will have Kamala show up tomorrow just in case. With that said, can the VP break a tie for cloture? Usually the VP can't because it's a 60-vote threshold (there's no tie to break), but the fact that it's a 50+1 threshold for cabinet secretaries, makes me wonder.

Cloture is technically just a regular Senate motion, so the VP is able to break a tie on it if necessary.

[brucejoel99]

I thought they'd gotten rid of the filibuster for all nominations, not just the judiciary. Am I mistaken?

They got rid of the 60-vote threshold needed to end filibusters. Now it's just 50+1.

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

Schumer just filed cloture to end debate on the nomination & with Kamala, the votes to confirm are there. This "threat" is literally less than meaningless.

And there does seem to be a few Republican's supporting his nomination too, so I don't think Kamala's vote is even needed.

I wonder if Schumer will have Kamala show up tomorrow just in case. With that said, can the VP break a tie for cloture? Usually the VP can't because it's a 60-vote threshold (there's no tie to break), but the fact that it's a 50+1 threshold for cabinet secretaries, makes me wonder.

How did that happen with Republicans deep and sincere respect for the hollowed traditions of Senate proceduralism?