Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is widely seen as a swing vote on the Supreme Court, announced his retirement, effective July 31.
This vacancy will provide President Donald Trump with a second opportunity to fill a spot on the court, which is leading many to wonder how Democrats should handle whatever nomination Donald Trump puts forward for the seat, particularly after Mitch McConnell used the fact that 2016 was an election year to block Barack Obama's pick to succeed Antonin Scalia on the court.
So now that McConnell is calling for fairness in the treatment of Trump's impending nominee to the Court, insisting that there will be a vote in the fall, Democrats are using McConnell's own words against him.
As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor of the Senate:
"Our Republican colleagues in the Senate should follow the rule they set in 2016: Not to consider a Supreme Court justice in an election year."
Elizabeth Warren suggested following the "Mitch McConnell Rule":
Other Democratic elected leaders concur:
But some are skeptical:
After all, Democrats would need 2 Republicans to defect and join them in blocking Trump's nominee.
Although perhaps there is a path...
So far, however, Republicans are perfectly willing to throw the McConnell rule out the window when it serves them:
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