WASHINGTON — Moments after Republicans voted to change the filibuster rules on Supreme Court nominees to eliminate the 60-vote threshold, the Democratic National Committee and supporters of Donald Trump sent out fundraising emails.
Democrats fundraise off the elimination of the 60 vote threshold of Supreme Court nominees for confirmations
Senate Democrats, whose caucus must defend 25 seats next election cycle, rallied their liberal base during the fight against Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
CNN legal analyst Paul Callan predicted days before the vote on Thursday that the Democrats’ provoking of Republicans to change the filibuster rules, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, was more about the 2018 midterm elections than anything else.
“In the fallout from the nuclear option and the Gorsuch confirmation, the strategic Schumer will criss-cross the country raising barrels of cash by reminding the Democratic base that without the protection of the filibuster, the party will be defenseless against the Republican Senate majority,” Callan writes.
He adds, “He will raise the specter of the evil Donald Trump packing the court with heartless conservatives who will crush progressive initiatives for the next 20 years. He will urge the wealthiest members of the Democratic base to give early and give often to avoid Trump Armageddon.”
Callan predicts that if Schumer’s strategy works out he could become as powerful a Senator as Democratic Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson once was.
Republican supporters, however, took the opportunity to fundraise as well after their party used their majority to change the filibuster rules.
Republicans fundraise off changing filibuster rule in the senate
However, other Democrats, like Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, feared the change may give Trump the opportunity to shift the court rightward for generations to come. The Kansas City Star reported the Missouri Democrat saying to donors last week:
“They go on the Supreme Court and then, God forbid, Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies, or (Anthony) Kennedy retires or (Stephen) Breyer has a stroke or is no longer able to serve. Then we’re not talking about Scalia for Scalia, which is what Gorsuch is, we’re talking about Scalia for somebody on the court who shares our values. And then all of a sudden the things I fought for with scars on my back to show for it in this state are in jeopardy”