Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe said Democrats are going to rue the day they decided to change Senate rules to confirm lower court judicial appointments because now Republicans can do the same for the Supreme Court.
The Republican said on CNN Wednesday that then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s decision to use the “nuclear option” to get around Senate Republicans to confirm appeals and district court appointments set a precedent. The so-called “nuclear option” changes the rules to allow for a simple majority vote to end debate on an appointment instead of the usual 60-vote rule.
Inhofe said he’s ready for Republicans to do the same now to get around Democratic obstruction of Judge Neil Gorsuch’s path to the Supreme Court.
“I remember when that happened I thought that will come back and haunt them,” Inhofe said. “That day is here.”
It doesn’t appear enough Democrats will cross the aisle to vote with Republicans to get 60 votes to end debate on Gorsuch’s appointment. It’s unknown at this point if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will deploy the nuclear option.
Inhofe said Democrats are opposing a man the Senate unanimously confirmed for his appeals court seat, and they didn’t seem to have any issues with him then. They’re not going to stop him now, he said.
“He’s going to be confirmed and America should be rejoicing,” he said.
