Top Democrat: We Can 'Slow' Barrett's Confirmation Process But 'Can't Stop' It
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Sunday that Democrats will be able to “slow” Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process but “can’t stop” it.
During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Durbin confirmed an ABC News report that Democrats are without a “silver bullet” for stopping Barrett’s confirmation before the Nov. 3 election.
“That’s true,” Durbin told host George Stephanopoulos.
President Donald Trump formally nominated Barrett on Saturday to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, moving one step closer to establishing a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court.
NEW: Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin tells @GStephanopoulos that Senate Democrats can “slow” the process of confirming Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett “perhaps a matter of hours, maybe days at the most, but we can’t stop the outcome.” https://t.co/zTNMzk2uygpic.twitter.com/mA8TYkY9Df
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 27, 2020
Durbin said the timing and even the outcome of the confirmation process could change if at least four GOP senators speak out against holding it ahead of Election Day. So far, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine are the only Republicans who have done so.
Democratic strategists ― including Adam Jentleson, who served as deputy chief of staff for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ― have outlined ways they believe Democrats could derail Barrett’s confirmation.
But Durbin said Sunday that such plans could only temporarily stall the process.
“We can slow it down perhaps a matter of hours ― maybe days at the most ― but we can’t stop the outcome,” Durbin said.
He added that Democrats should address Barrett’s nomination “respectfully” but also understand the context: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) claimed to have no time to attend to negotiations on coronavirus relief legislation,...
