Schumer takes hard line on Supreme Court pick

[mystery-ak]

Schumer takes hard line on Supreme Court pick

By Seung Min Kim

01/03/17 11:02 PM EST

Chuck Schumer is throwing down the gauntlet on the Supreme Court.

The newly minted Senate minority leader took a hard line on Donald Trump’s yet-to-be-named pick to replace deceased Jusice Antonin Scalia, threatening to leave the empty ninth seat open indefinitely unless Trump nominates someone who could get broad support in the Senate — a scenario Schumer acknowledged is “hard for me to imagine.”

Though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s risky gambit to halt the confirmation process for Merrick Garland may have paid off, Schumer warned that Republicans will face payback for their year-long blockade of President Barack Obama’s nominee in due time.

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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/senate-schumer-scotus-233165

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Schumer appears to be operating under the delusion that only Democrats can change Senate rules, and that the GOP is not permitted to expand the filibuster exception to Supreme Court appointments.  Making a public statement that they'll oppose any nominee unless he/she is "moderate" will just push more GOP Senators towards making that rule change.