A top Senate Democrat’s office late Thursday compared the Republican move to end the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees to the dissolving of the Imperial Senate in “Star Wars.”
The first “Star Wars” movie in 1977 started with an early reference to the effective end of the Imperial Senate, to the benefit of Darth Vader and the Empire.
A late Thursday night email from Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, D-Ill., referenced that event in a note outlining the schedule for Friday.
“The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us,” the email said, quoting from “Star Wars.” “I have just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.”
The email then proceeded to outline the day: the Senate will start at 9:30 am, and after two hours of debate, it will vote on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch t the Supreme Court.
Because of the change to precedent ordered by Republicans on Thursday, Gorsuch was able to advance by a simple majority vote, and can be confirmed, as usual, by a simple majority vote today.
