Blumenthal, Schumer, & Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats Release Statement on Decision to Boycott Tomorrow’s Illegitimate Markup

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats today in releasing a statement on their decision to boycott tomorrow’s markup of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court:

“This has been a sham process from the beginning. Amidst a global pandemic and ongoing election, Republicans are rushing to confirm a Supreme Court justice to take away health care from millions and execute the extreme and deeply unpopular agenda that they’ve been unable to get through Congress.

Republicans broke have broken the promises they made and rules they created when they blocked Merrick Garland’s nomination for eight months under President Obama. Then, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that ‘the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice.’ Now, Republicans have moved at breakneck speed to jam through this nominee, ignoring her troubling record and unprecedented evasions, and breaking longstanding committee rules to set today’s vote.

Fearing a loss at the ballot box, Republicans are showing that they do not care about the rules or what the American people want, and but are concerned only with raw political power.

Throughout the hearings last week, committee Democrats demonstrated the damage a Justice Barrett would do – to health care, reproductive freedoms, the ability to vote, and other core rights that Americans cherish. We will not grant this process any further legitimacy by participating in a Committee markup on this nomination just twelve days before the culmination of an election that is already underway.”

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