FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2018
Will Partisan Claire McCaskill Continue Obstruction of Judicial Nominees?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the Senate continues its work to fill more than 140 judicial vacancies amidst liberal obstruction, Missouri continues to watch Senator Claire McCaskill and her votes this week. Ahead of these critical votes, Attorney General Josh Hawley issued the following statement:
“Every time it matters, partisan liberal Claire McCaskill sides with Chuck Schumer instead of Missouri – and judges are the prime example. With her record of obstruction, it’s no wonder she’s the most unpopular Senator in the nation on a ballot this year. Senator McCaskill voted for every single one of Barack Obama’s left-wing judicial nominees, but has already blocked more than a quarter of President Trump’s. She has made it her personal mission to obstruct the President at all costs, and it’s exactly why most Missourians want a new Senator this fall.”
BACKGROUND
McCaskill was far more supportive of President Obama’s judicial nominees than President Trump’s.
McCaskill voted for 100 percent of President Obama’s judicial nominees.
From 2009 to 2016, McCaskill did not cast a single vote against an Obama judicial nomination. “A study found that Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., both of whom are opposing Gorsuch, and both of whom represent Trump Country, were overwhelmingly supportive of Trump’s predecessor. McCaskill did not cast a single vote against an Obama judicial nomination from 2009 to 2016.” (Emily Jashinsky, “Trump Country Senators Opposing Gorsuch Voted In Lockstep With Obama On Judicial Nominations,” Washington Examiner, 4/6/17)
In just over a year, McCaskill has already opposed 27 percent of President Trump’s judicial nominees.
As of May 1, 2017, McCaskill has voted against more than a quarter (7) of President Trump’s judicial nominees. (Roll Call Vote #111, 4/7/17, McCaskill Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #137, 5/25/17, McCaskill Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #158, 7/12/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #164, 7/20/17, McCaskill Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #182, 8/1/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #188, 9/5/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #207, 9/28/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #251, 10/26/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #253, 10/30/17, McCaskill Did Not Vote; Roll Call Vote #255, 10/31/17, McCaskill Did Not Vote; , Roll Call Vote #257, 11/1/17, McCaskill Did Not Vote; Roll Call Vote #259, 11/2/17, McCaskill Did Not Vote; Roll Call Vote #261, 11/2/17, McCaskill Did Not Vote; Roll Call Vote #280, 11/16/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #281, 11/27/17, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #283, 11/28/17, McCaskill Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #313, 12/12/17, McCaskill Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #315, 12/13/17, McCaskill Voted Nay; Roll Call Vote #317, 12/14/17, McCaskill Voted Yea, Roll Call Vote #3, 1/9/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #5, 1/10/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #7, 1/11/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #9, 1/11/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #27, 1/30/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #38, 2/27/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #42, 3/1/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #46, 3/5/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #47, 3/5/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #49, 3/6/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #65, 4/10/18, McCaskill Voted Yea; Roll Call Vote #82, 4/24/18, McCaskill Voted Nay)
NOTE: McCaskill missed a number of votes due to her husband having a heart attack in late October 2017. The calculation above excludes those votes. It also excludes nominees passed by voice vote.
McCaskill supported President Obama’s Supreme Court Justices but chose partisanship over Neil Gorsuch’s nomination.
McCaskill was “appalled” at Republicans blocking Merrick Garland from receiving a vote.
“Claire: Since Supreme Court nominee hearings began in 1916, every nominee’s received a hearing, or been confirmed within days. I’m appalled that Senate Republicans are ignoring the Constitution and refusing to do their job. Hold a hearing, for gosh sakes, and then vote.” (Sen. Claire McCaskill, Facebook Post, 3/16/16)
McCaskill asked “how big a hypocrite am I going to be?” in discussing her potential filibustering of Neil Gorsuch.
“Heitkamp said she is genuinely undecided on Gorsuch, including whether to back a potential filibuster of him. Ditto for Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who said Democrats will be far more thoughtful about Gorsuch than Republicans were about Garland. ‘I mean, how big a hypocrite am I going to be?’ fumed McCaskill.” (Seung Min Kim And Burgess Everett, “These Democrats Will Decide Gorsuch’s Fate,” Politico, 2/2/17)
On April 1, 2017, McCaskill announced that she would not support Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court, and would join the Democrat Filibuster.
“Sen. Claire McCaskill will not vote for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and will not vote for the procedural motion to advance his nomination, the Missouri Democrat announced Friday.” (Jedd Rosche And Ashley Kilough, “Sen. Claire McCaskill To Vote No On Neil Gorsuch, Cloture,” CNN, 4/1/17)
McCaskill opposed Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court despite knowing that it could have “dire consequences.”
“Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri warned Democratic donors that blocking President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee could have dire consequences, according to audio obtained by The Star.” (Bryan Lowry, “McCaskill Warns Democratic Donors Of Pitfalls Of Blocking Trump Nominee For High Court,” The Kansas City Star, 3/30/17)
On April 7, 2017, McCaskill Voted Against The Confirmation Of Neil M. Gorsuch To Be An Associate Justice Of The Supreme Court Of The United States.
(PN55, Roll Call Vote #111: Confirmed 54-45, 4/6/17, McCaskill Voted Nay)
McCaskill supported Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor’s nominations to the Supreme Court, under President Obama, despite their alleged anti-Second Amendment views.
“Confirmation of President Obama’s nomination of Elena Kagan, of Massachusetts, to be an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.” (PN1768, Roll Call Vote #229: Confirmed 63-37, 8/5/10, McCaskill Voted Yea; CQ Summary, Accessed 7/21/16)
“Confirmation of President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, of New York, to be an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.” (PN506, Roll Call Vote #262: Confirmed 68-31, 8/6/09, McCaskill Voted Yea; CQ Summary, Accessed 7/21/16)
