Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) forced a brief but rare closed-door session in the Senate on Friday as part of the Democrats’ last-ditch effort to protest Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s forthcoming confirmation, just one day after Senate Judiciary Republicans voted her out of committee.
“Whoa…Schumer just forced the Senate into a rare closed door session. No cameras. No press. Doors being locked as I type,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) announced Friday morning, describing it as a “last ditch effort to convince Republicans to not send the Senate into this death spiral of power politics.”
“Long shot to succeed, but why not? Stay tuned,” he added:
Whoa…Schumer just forced the Senate into a rare closed door session. No cameras. No press. Doors being locked as I type. A last ditch effort to convince Republicans to not send the Senate into this death spiral of power politics.
Long shot to succeed, but why not?Stay tuned.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 23, 2020
"The doors will be closed."
After the Senate approved @senatemajldr's motion to go into legislative session (53-43), @SenSchumer moved for a closed session to discuss #SCOTUS nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
The Senate is now in closed session. pic.twitter.com/R7IQUIKQ5d
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 23, 2020
The Senate is now in closed session.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) October 23, 2020
Schumer just moved to force a closed session in order to have a “candid conversation” about the push to confirm the nomination. Sen. John Kennedy, the presiding officer, ordered all galleries cleared, including where us reporters were seated.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 23, 2020
According to reports, Schumer’s effort lasted roughly 15 minutes before lawmakers proceeded with an open session:
Agreed to: Motion to proceed to open session.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) October 23, 2020
In a 51-46 vote, lawmakers agreed to a motion to “proceed to Executive Session for the consideration of Executive Calendar #890 Amy Coney Barrett to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.” Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) reportedly voted against moving into Executive Session.
Agreed to, 51-46: Motion to proceed to Executive Session for the consideration of Executive Calendar #890 Amy Coney Barrett to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) October 23, 2020
Leader McConnell has filed cloture on Executive Calendar #890 Amy Coney Barrett to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) October 23, 2020
Both Murkowksi and Collins voted against moving into executive session – which allows the Senate to consider the Amy Coney Barrett nomination. But GOP is moving ahead. McConnell has filed cloture to cut off debate, setting up key procedural vote Sunday and confirmation Monday.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 23, 2020
“The chamber is full and McConnell is giving his Coney Barrett speech with his back turned to the Democratic side, speaking only to his colleagues, as if we don’t exist,” Sen. Murphy wrote, incensed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) behavior:
The chamber is full and McConnell is giving his Coney Barrett speech with his back turned to the Democratic side, speaking only to his colleagues, as if we don’t exist. Appropriate.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 23, 2020
The full Senate is expected to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Monday, October 26 — the same day as Hillary Clinton’s birthday.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, affirmed that she stands with Schumer.
“Senator Schumer just said we will NOT accept business as usual, and he’s right,” she said, explaining that Democrats are actively “doing all we can to delay Republicans who are intent on rushing through this Supreme Court nominee”:
Senator Schumer just said we will NOT accept business as usual, and he’s right. Democrats are doing all we can to delay Republicans who are intent on rushing through this Supreme Court nominee. Too much is at stake, including health coverage for millions of Americans.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) October 23, 2020
The Judiciary Committee voted Barrett out of committee on Thursday 12-0. All of the Democrat members, including Feinstein, boycotted the vote.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.