Forcing a Vote on Brennan Is “Outrageous” Act

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 26, 2018 – Following the announcement today that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has filed cloture on six more nominees for lifetime circuit court appointments, including Seventh Circuit nominee Michael Brennan — whose nomination is being advanced over the objection of a home-state senator — AFJ President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“With this decision to force a vote on Michael Brennan over the objection of one of his home-state senators, Senator Baldwin, Mitch McConnell and the Trump administration are crossing a red line in the Senate: destroying the time-honored blue slip system. This is an act of extreme disrespect toward Senator Baldwin and to Wisconsinites, who elected her to represent their interests. In response to this outrageous act, the Senate must not proceed as if it were ‘business as usual’; senators who care about their constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent must fight back with every tool at their disposal.”