|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,125
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,125 |
Retiring Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake on Wednesday vowed to pull support for all federal judicial nominees -- including 21 pending in the Judiciary Committee and 32 awaiting a vote on the Senate floor -- unless the Senate's GOP leadership permits consideration of legislation to expand protections for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's job.
The dramatic move by Flake, considered a potential primary challenger to President Trump in 2020, came immediately after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked his effort to introduce the bill for consideration by unanimous consent, which requires the approval of all 100 senators.
McConnell said the legislation, also backed by Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, is unnecessary because Trump has not suggested he will fire Mueller.
"Sen. Coons and I are prepared to make it again and again until there is a vote on this vital, bipartisan legislation on the Senate floor," Flake said in a speech just weeks before his imminent retirement. "And I have informed the majority leader I will not vote to advance any of the 21 judicial nominees pending in the Judiciary Committee or vote to confirm the 32 judges awaiting confirmation on the Senate Floor until S. 2644 is brought to the full Senate for a vote."
He added: "We have been told that the bill ... is not necessary, as there have been no indications that the independence of Mr. Mueller's investigation is in jeopardy. That may have been an arguable position before last week. But it is not arguable anymore.
"With the firing of the attorney general ... the president now has this investigation in his sights and we all know it," he continued. "How such an investigation can be the cause of controversy is beyond me. ... Presidents do not get to determine what gets investigated and what and who does not."
"The President now has this investigation in his sights, and we all know it." — Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Wednesday's threat wasn't the first from Flake, who will be replaced in January by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. In June, he told ABC News that he was considering using judicial nominees as leverage over trade policy. ("I think myself and a number of senators, at least a few of us, will stand up and say let's not move any more judges until we get a vote, for example, on tariffs," Flake said this
Flake was a key vote to confirm Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and he is the swing vote on the Judiciary Committee, where Republicans hold a slim 11-10 majority. The Senate, which has the exclusive power to confirm federal nominees by a simple majority vote, will be in session for another week in November and about two more weeks in December.
The pending judicial nominees do not need majority support on the Judiciary Committee to advance to a final confirmation vote on the Senate floor, where Republicans are set to retain their majority next term. However, nominations that do not have the committee's approval tend to move slower.
Judiciary Committee Press Secretary George Hartmann wrote on Twitter that the committee is planning to vote on a set of nominees soon.
"As for the nominees in committee on tomorrow's [Judiciary Committee] agenda, they are all expected to be held over one week under the committee rules (which do not require a vote)," Hartmann wrote. "They would, however, be ready for a committee vote at the following business meeting (likely Nov. 29)."
Sen. Jeff Flake reportedly isn’t shutting the door on a possible White House run against President Trump. Sen. Jeff Flake reportedly isn’t shutting the door on a possible White House run against President Trump. (AP) Top Democrats and some Republicans have called on Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who replaced Jeff Sessions, to recuse himself from oversight of the Russia investigation. Whitaker has written critically of Mueller's probe, which he now oversees.
The bill Flake advocated, which has been stalled in the Judiciary Committee since earlier this year, would have mandated an expedited judicial review of any decision by Trump to fire Mueller. If the termination was found to be without cause, the legislation would restore Mueller's job.
SCHUMER THREATENS TO ADD MUELLER PROTECTIONS TO SPENDING BILL
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said this week that if Whitaker does not recuse himself, Democrats will seek to tie protections for the investigation into the critical spending bill that funds the federal government -- potentially setting up a government shutdown.
"We Democrats, House and Senate, will attempt to add to must-pass legislation, in this case the spending bill, legislation that would prevent Mr. Whitaker from interfering with the Mueller investigation" should Whitaker not recuse, Schumer said Sunday during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union."
Under current Justice Department guidelines, Mueller's termination would ostensibly have to come from Whitaker or another high-level DOJ official.
But one of the bill's co-sponsors, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Thillis, sided with McConnell in saying that there's no rush to pass the bill.
"I don't think the president has any intention of removing Mueller," Thillis said. "I'm all about getting this on the books so no future President can make that kind of a bad decision. ... I've had discussion with the president. Everyone said it was hours away back in August. Didn't happen. So I think it's another false crisis. But it's important legislation ultimately to get passed."
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,125
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,125 |
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 16,262 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 16,262 Likes: 1 |
Unlikable cuckservative mormon stiff. Romney without the charisma.
Epstein didn't kill himself.
"Play Cinnamon Girl you Sonuvabitch!"
Biden didn't win the election.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,125
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,125 |
Unlikable cuckservative mormon stiff. Romney without the charisma. McCain with a heartbeat.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,326 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,326 Likes: 9 |
He's a particularly underhanded one.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,284 Likes: 27
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,284 Likes: 27 |
Flakey is about as bad as Sinenema will be.
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,736 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,736 Likes: 1 |
Flakey is hoping to run for president on the democrat platform. Dems don't have anyone left that can handle going through a complete election run without having a heart attack. Flaky will be changing coats soon.
NRA LIFE MEMBER GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS ESPECIALLY THE SNIPERS! "Suppose you were an idiot And suppose you were a member of Congress... But I repeat myself." -Mark Twain
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 41,735 Likes: 19
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 41,735 Likes: 19 |
Flakey couldn't even be re-elected in his own state..., and he's going to run for Prez? What a loser!
Hahahaha
Make Gitmo Great Again!! Who gave the order to stop counting votes in the swing states on the night of November 3/4, 2020?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,243
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,243 |
He'll be gone in six weeks.......who gives a chit what he says?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 6,519
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 6,519 |
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,844 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,844 Likes: 6 |
Flake is a democRAT.. regardless of what party he claims to represent.
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,359
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,359 |
hoping we have about 4 or 5 leftists on the ballot in 2020, to split their vote up
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,683 Likes: 22
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,683 Likes: 22 |
He'll be gone in six weeks.......who gives a chit what he says?
Mittens is next in line to take his place. Book it.
Last edited by rockinbbar; 11/15/18.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,243
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,243 |
He'll be gone in six weeks.......who gives a chit what he says?
Mittens is next in line to take his place. Book it. No doubt in my mind.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,912 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,912 Likes: 1 |
There are 2 rules to success:
1. Never tell everything that you know.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,693
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,693 |
Flakey couldn't even be re-elected in his own state..., and he's going to run for Prez? What a loser!
Hahahaha there are 49 other states. Who needs AZ ?
if a man speaks, and there isn't a woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,872 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,872 Likes: 5 |
What's the rpm level for Barry Goldwater about now?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 16,103 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 16,103 Likes: 2 |
Just wait and seat the judges in January?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,846 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,846 Likes: 11 |
Never forget that most of these azzholes are driven by their egos. Just like a loser standing at the bar with a few drinks in him that thinks he's the answer to every maiden's prayer, none of them can see how they appear to the public. Add that to some rich donors blowing smoke (and money) up his hindparts in hopes of getting favorable votes while he's still a Senator, and he'll do just about anything. This one is also a never-Trumper in spades. Even if he never runs again, by fugging with Trump he can secure a cushy job in the private sector.
Rich people, meaning the really rich, pay out to politicians in the same way ordinary folks play the lottery. Might win, might not, but you gotta play to win.
What fresh Hell is this?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 8,155 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 8,155 Likes: 2 |
Unlikable cuckservative mormon stiff. Romney without the charisma. I didn't know he was a Mormon.
|
|
|
|
235 members (1beaver_shooter, 1minute, 1_deuce, 16gage, 204guy, 17CalFan, 34 invisible),
1,866
guests, and
1,035
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,192,861
Posts18,497,178
Members73,979
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|