The fight to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg megathread

[Splash]

https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1312188356822888448

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The Rs can still confirm Barrett and will in a lame duck session, even if Kelly is seated Romney said he will vote to confirm Barrett,

Collins and Murkowski will vote for Barrett in a lame duck, they just said wait til after the election to confirm Barrett, she is a center right female

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

You would need >3 covid positive senators anyway., Any GOP defections would just abstain to vote match like Murkowski did with Kavanaugh.

The problem is the judiciary committee, where both Lee and Tillis are members.   Hopefully  Senators will be able to vote remotely in committee, and I see little reason not to since they can already talk and question witnesses.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

So now that Lee and Tillis are positive, Barrett does NOT have the votes in committee. It's set to be a 10-10 tie. Yes there's lots of time until October 22. But as of NOW, Barrett does not have the votes

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

apparently proxy voting is fine (I was sorta thinking this was the case, I believe I've seen it before on some less high profile things)

https://twitter.com/greggnunziata/status/1312192982414581760?s=20

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

apparently proxy voting is fine (I was sorta thinking this was the case, I believe I've seen it before on some less high profile things)

https://twitter.com/greggnunziata/status/1312192982414581760?s=20

Yes but the rules also say that a majority of the members actually present have to support the action taken. So this only works if some dem is randomly absent.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Some procedure stuff:

proxy voting is governed at the committee Level not the full Senate Level
The committee rules clearly state a majority of the members actually present have to support the action taken
Yes you can change the committee rules- with a vote of the committee
Not a vote of the Senate
To change the committee rules, again, a majority of the members actually present have to support that action

McConnell CAN circumvent the committee entirely and pull her out with a vote of the Senate, but with Murk and Collins against this crap, and Lee and Tillis sick, it would be 49-49. It's enough, but there's ZERO room for error then. So anything could happen.

[Indy Texas 🇺🇦🇵🇸]

https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1312188356822888448

This gives Democrats a "good faith" excuse to basically walk out of the Senate and refuse to return until McConnell agrees to force everyone to take COVID tests and not conduct any business until everyone has tested negative and anyone who tests positive has quarantined for the minimum time period.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

If the D's do this they are risking, Rs to retaliate and not confirm Bidens nomination for his Cabinet, especially if D's in the Senate try to get rid of the filibuster

Cruz said he will use every tool in the book to stop Crt packing

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Mitch is forging ahead

https://twitter.com/senatemajldr/status/1312441098757836801?s=20

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The Rs know the importance of this appointment, if D's get to replace Ginsburg Roberts can join with RBG replacement and strikedown Citizens United. If Barrett is replaced, 6/3 cements Citizens United and a Conservative majority even if D's pack the Crt it still will be 6/5 Conservative

[Bootes Void]

Half of the Republicans senators would honestly die for this nomination, I think some people here really underestimate how power hungry the Republicans are

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Barrett already had COVID this summer.  She has immunity.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Barrett already had COVID this summer.  She has immunity.

This. It's already been announced that Barrett is testifying in person regardless of any contact she had, and I expect most senators on both sides to do the same.

[emailking]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313641459082563584

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313641459082563584

Something he’s an expert in according to Stormy Daniel

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Let's just say Dems are going to have some real fun on the floor once the nomination gets there. Live quorum call after Live quorum call. Hopefully each democrat moves to adjourn at the end of each speech they make. Multiple motions to proceed to some other matter.

Can they do enough to use up all floor time before the election? Hard to say. But they should try.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Just going to leave this here for some thoughts over the next few days: Do people want me to create a separate thread for the hearing itself like we had with Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, or should we just keep everything on this thread?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

good overview of Judge Barrett's opinions in this series

https://twitter.com/wvEsquiress/status/1314688821649461248?s=20
https://ordinary-times.com/2020/09/29/amy-tell-me-what-youre-gonna-do-part-1/

[Frodo]

The other issues mentioned are important, but we are in the midst of the first election in US history in which the American equivalent of the Emperor Nero has not pledged a peaceful transition should he lose the election, and has pressed his Attorney General to indict his political opponents.  Therefore, Democrats should make voting rights their focus as they question Amy Coney Barrett, and her adherence to the liberal norms that make us a democracy.  And I want Kamala Harris to grill her even more intensely than she did Brett Kavanaugh.  Our very democracy is at stake.  

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Stream to watch the hearing: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/nomination-of-the-honorable-amy-coney-barrett-to-be-an-associate-justice-of-the-supreme-court-of-the-united-states

I'll be watching the hearing "cover to cover" and will make comments here periodically. At the end of the hearing I will make a statement reaffirming my opposition to this nominee.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Senators are currently making opening statements, this will go for several hours.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Opening Statements are just about done - next we have introductions of the nominee from Senator Braun, Senator Young, and a Notre Dame Professor.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Barrett is giving her opening statement now - due to technical difficulties we will hear from professor O'Hara afterward.

Then hearing should adjourn for the day.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Teddy Kennedy whom would have gotten deeper into ACB on health care would have scored points against her. Klobuchar isn't Kennedy, that's why ACB will be confirmed

Just like AZ without McCain is likely D