Schumer Vows to Block Conservative Supreme Court Pick

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer pledged that his party will not confirm a right-winger to the Supreme Court. He made the statement said on Thursday. The comment raised the possibility that Democrats could block a presidential nominee if a vacancy opens in the next two years.

Schumer refused to say if he would hold a seat open until after the next presidential election. He noted that former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell did so in 2016. However, he said Democrats are not going to allow any crappy nominees to be confirmed to the Supreme Court, lower courts, or Trump’s Cabinet.

The pledge came two days after Democrats won a decisive Senate majority in the midterm elections. Few predicted this outcome a year ago when Schumer faced intense criticism from progressives. Senate Republicans had bet on a favorable map and backing from President Donald Trump. Democrats could hold as many as 56 seats if they win Mississippi and Alaska, which have not yet been called. Schumer predicts this will be a durable majority that has been 20 years in the making.

With this seat count, Schumer bets it is not just a flip of the Senate once. The party will have the power to reject any of Trump’s nominees and force him to seek more moderate choices. Democrats also plan to halt the Iran war and alter policies they could not counter in the minority. Schumer says the agenda will center around lowering prices, healthcare, housing, tariffs, childcare, and energy bills.

Schumer stated that Democrats will try to ban federal elected officials from stock trades and limit consumer costs from data center expansion. The party also wants to investigate Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and scrutinize the Trump administration. He called it the most corrupted administration by far in American history. However, he would not say how he plans to get around Trump, who posted a picture of a red hat with the word veto in large letters on election night.

Schumer must also navigate his own caucus, which includes progressives and incoming freshmen who won red states. He will need Republican support to pass legislation. He predicts Republicans will suffer more losses if they do not work in a bipartisan way. When asked if he would support a third Trump impeachment, Schumer said he would support an impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. An effort to impeach Hegseth has already been launched in the House.

Schumer attributes this year's wins to good candidates and a focus on local issues in Republican states. He cited the effect of tariffs on farms in Iowa, the war with Canada in Maine, and data centers in Ohio. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won the seat after beating Schumer’s original choice in the primary. Schumer poured 67 million dollars into that race. Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Democrats need an open and honest discussion about the next leader. Vermont Sen. Peter Welch said Schumer has to adjust and take into account the criticism of their efforts.