Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., vigorously opposed the Republican move on Thursday to end the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, even though Merkley praised Democrats for ending the filibuster for all other nominees in 2013.
After Democrats pulled off the controversial “nuclear option” in 2013, Merkley tweeted that the move “had to be done” to get around Republican opposition to President Obama’s nominees.
“Thank you for your leadership,” Merkley tweeted to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. “Thanks to all of you who encouraged me to consider filibuster reform. It had to be done.”
Thank you for your leadership RT @SenatorReid Thanks to all of you who encouraged me to consider filibuster reform. It had to be done.
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) November 21, 2013
He also tweeted that same day that ending the filibuster of nominations “is a big step toward restoring the functionality of the Senate.”
Ending the abuse of the filibuster on nominations is a big step toward restoring the functionality of the Senate.
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) November 21, 2013
But a little more than three years later, Merkley was left fuming about the Republican move to end the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees.
He called the Senate vote “profoundly damaging to integrity” of the Supreme Court, and called it a “dark deed.”
“The dark deed is done,” he tweeted. “McConnell has just put a knife into the heart of our We the People republic.”
The dark deed is done. McConnell has just put a knife into the heart of our We the People republic.
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) April 6, 2017
Merkley spoke all night on the Senate floor Tuesday and into Wednesday morning to protest Gorsuch.
