By: Savannah Smith | 02-02-2017 | News
Photo credit: The Goldwater

Trump Pushing McConnell To 'Go Nuclear' To Guarantee SC Nominee Gorsuch's Confirmation

President Donald Trump has so much faith in his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, that he has encouraged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to utilize the "nuclear option" to ensure Gorsuch's immediate confirmation, in the event that Democrat lawmakers predictably filibuster and block the said nomination.

Going nuclear would allow the President's nomination to move forward even with just a 51- vote majority, instead of the required 60 votes should Democrats decide to filibuster and block Gorsuch's nomination, something some of them have earlier threatened to do. The Republicans enjoy a 52- member strong majority.

McConnell's nomination received fierce objections from Democrat Senators, with some of them threatening to oppose Gorsuch and force a 60-vote threshold to clear his nomination. Democrats are under severe pressure from liberal activists to block Gorsuch's nomination at all costs, as many of them remain bitter with Republicans' refusal to consider former President Barack Obama's previous nominee, Merrick Garland, to fill the seat left vacant with the demise of Justice Antonin Scalia.

McConnell remains non-committal if he would resort to pressing with the nuclear option should he and his party mates encounter challenges to Gorsuch's confirmation but in an interview with Fox News, the Republican leader generally gave assurances that they would have Gorsuch confirmed.

Some have expressed doubts whether McConnell would be truly willing to go nuclear since he is known for being an institutionalist, and the procedural move, if used at this point, would break from decades of tradition, and might potentially send shockwaves to the Senate.

A chance to have Gorsuch confirmed through the regular process is still not being ruled out, with the Republicans only needing eight more votes from the Democrats side to meet the required 60 votes.

For Trump, however, it would be such a shame if a nominee of Gorsuch's caliber is not confirmed, and said that while it is still up to McConnell, he would suggest for his Republican ally to all- out go nuclear to guarantee that his guy gets to the Supreme Court, and fulfill his campaign promise to appoint a conservative to the Supreme Court. Trump has earlier said he would give much weight to the sentiments raised during the campaign that nomination to the Supreme Court was one of the most crucial issues for voters at that time. The President is a man who honors his word and would do everything to have a nominee approved by his supporters get to the Supreme Court.

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