Progressive Judicial Groups Prepare For Tough Supreme Court Battle
It’s been five days since Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) already appears to have the votes to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick to replace her on the Supreme Court this year.
There isn’t even a nominee yet. Based on what Trump has said, he’ll name a woman, she will be hostile to the Affordable Care Act and she will support overturning Roe v. Wade. If confirmed, Trump’s nominee will tilt the court to a 6-to-3 conservative majority.
It’s a grim prospect for progressive judicial advocacy groups. And the reality is there’s not much they can do to prevent Republicans from confirming Trump’s nominee. It’s just math. McConnell can afford to lose three GOP senators and still get Trump’s nominee through. There are only two, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine), who have said they won’t vote to confirm anyone this year. Democrats were hoping GOP Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) would join them, based on previous statements they’ve made, but both support moving forward.
Still, progressive judicial groups insist McConnell’s plan isn’t a done deal, and they have a strategy coming into focus: Fight the process every step of the way, and make it crystal clear to the American public that health care, women’s reproductive rights, voting rights and the legitimacy of the Supreme Court are all at stake with this confirmation.
“We’re going to fight tooth and nail to prevent Trump from filling this seat in the first place,” said Zack Ford of Alliance for Justice Action Campaign. “Then we’re going to fight tooth and nail to flip as many Republicans as possible to keep this nominee from getting confirmed. Then we’re going to fight tooth and nail, if Democrats get some power back in the election, to undo the damage, however possible.”
“It’s all about preparing for every eventuality ― how do they rush this, what happens at the hearing, what happens in the...
