With Republicans now in control of the Senate, some conservative leaders are worried the filibuster will be making a comeback.
In a memo to Senate Republicans obtained by the Daily Caller, approximately 20 conservative leaders state their support for keeping in place new rules that allow the confirmation of appointees such as judicial nominees and cabinet members could proceed with a simple majority vote. The rule was changed in 2013 under Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Senate Democrat leadership.
“The decision by Senator Reid and his Democratic colleagues to deploy the so-called ‘nuclear option’ was transparently designed to facilitate the confirmation of judicial nominees who would insulate Obamacare and other aspects of President Obama’s agenda from meaningful judicial review,” the letter says. “Regardless of their motives, we see very little upside and significant downside in reviving the judicial filibuster.”
The letter is to be sent Wednesday.
The change was originally opposed by Republicans, but with Senate control shifting to the hands of Republicans in January, many are hesitant to repeal it — especially if a Republican lands in the White House in 2016.
“The net result of a Republican effort to revive the judicial filibuster would be a self-imposed 60-vote threshold for Republican nominees and a 50-vote threshold for Democratic nominees,” the letter reads.
Letter signees include: Gary Bauer of American Values, Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee and Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum.
