Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., will reject an invitation to attend a Tuesday night White House reception for President Trump’s Supreme Court pick right after the person is named, citing the “awkward” timing.
Durbin, who sits on the Judiciary Committee which will consider the high court nominee, said he received the White House invitation but had decided against going because he “is not going to be part of a cheering section for a nominee I didn’t even know ahead of time who it is going to be.”
“I’ll have time to meet this nominee and judge whether they are the right person for the job but tonight seemed like an awkward situation to walk into a room and they pull the curtain back and say, well, this is your next Supreme Court nominee, now Durbin, what are you going to do next?”
Durbin said it seemed like a scene out of a reality TV show that he didn’t want to be a part of.
“I don’t know, do they pull curtains anymore” in those types of shows? Durbin asked.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who also sits on the judiciary panel, said he too will not attend the White House reception for the high-court nominee.
