McConnell Pledges to Fill SCOTUS Vacancy in Election Year

By Sophie Weiner, Splinter

29 May 19

n 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell used former President Obama’s lame duck status as his excuse to block Merrick Garland’s nomination for the Supreme Court after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

“This nomination ought to be made by the next president,” McConnell said in 2016, before stonewalling Garland.

But despite the brain-melting hypocrisy, it should surprise no one that McConnell now says that he’d be absolutely fine with helping Trump confirm a third Supreme Court Justice, were it to become necessary before 2020, according to video spotted by CNN.

Speaking at a Paducah Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Kentucky on Tuesday, McConnell was asked what he would do if there was a Supreme Court vacancy in 2020.

“Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot?” an attendee asked.

McConnell took a long sip of what CNN said “appeared to be iced tea” before responding.

“Oh, we’d fill it,” he said, smiling, to laughter.

McConnell then hammered home the point even more forcefully, saying that while things like tax policy can change because of an election, “what can’t be undone is a lifetime appointment,” adding, “That’s the most important thing we’ve done in the country, which cannot be undone.”

Mother. Fucker.

Of course, this is infuriating. But McConnell has proven time and time again that he is a sociopathic, cynical nihilist who will stop at nothing to put more dead-eyed conservative drones in power. Going back on his 2016 stance may be outrageous, but it’s also par for the course. Anyone who expected otherwise needs to wise the fuck up real fast and start backing candidates who support adding more seats to the Supreme Court.

In case McConnell’s total lack of shame needed any more clarification, here’s CNN:

David Popp, a spokesman for McConnell, said the difference between now and three years ago, when McConnell famously blocked Judge Merrick Garland’s ascension to the Supreme Court, is that at that time the White House was controlled by a Democrat and the Senate by Republicans. This time, both are controlled by the GOP.

There you have it, folks. This is how the game works now. If you aren’t willing to get with the times, you need to get the hell out of our way.