Democrats blast McConnell for saying Republicans would fill a 2020 Supreme Court vacancy

Democrats are slamming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the Kentucky Republican said Tuesday that Republicans would fill a Supreme Court seat in 2020 if one became open.

McConnell was asked by an attendee during a speech at the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce public policy luncheon in Kentucky what his position would be on filling a Supreme Court seat during 2020 if a justice died.

{mosads}”Oh, we’d fill it,” McConnell said to laughter from the audience.

Democrats quickly blasted the Senate majority leader after Tuesday’s comments.

McConnell sparked ire in 2016 when he refused to give a hearing or a vote to Merrick Garland, then-President Obama’s pick to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called his Republican counterpart a “hypocrite” after the statement. 

“Seriously it’s no surprise.@SenateMajLdr McConnell lives for GOP judges because he knows the GOP agenda is so radical & unpopular they can only achieve it in courts,” he wrote. 

“Anyone who believes he’d ever allow confirmation of a Dem President’s nominee for SCOTUS is fooling themselves,” Schumer added.  

|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣ |
| Senator McConnell. |
| is a |
| hypocrite. |
| ＿＿＿＿＿_＿＿＿_ |
(__/) ||
(•ㅅ•) ||
/ 　 づhttps://t.co/lIveqezK5A

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 29, 2019

Seriously it’s no surprise.@SenateMajLdr McConnell lives for GOP judges because he knows the GOP agenda is so radical & unpopular they can only achieve it in courts.

Anyone who believes he’d ever allow confirmation of a Dem President’s nominee for SCOTUS is fooling themselves.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 29, 2019

Democratic presidential hopeful Julián Castro also criticized the Republican leader, saying that if he were elected president, he would make an appointment when the Senate was in recess if his nominee was not considered. Recess appointments are eventually considered by the Senate. 

“We’ve known all along how hypocritical the @senatemajldr is. But his shamelessness at stealing a Supreme Court seat is appalling,” Castro wrote. 

“As President, I will work with the entire Senate to get my appointments confirmed, but won’t hesitate to make a recess appointment to the Court if the Senate refuses to consider my nominee,” he added. 

We’ve known all along how hypocritical the @senatemajldr is. But his shamelessness at stealing a Supreme Court seat is appalling. https://t.co/nHPGO7DVcz

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) May 29, 2019

As President, I will work with the entire Senate to get my appointments confirmed, but won’t hesitate to make a recess appointment to the Court if the Senate refuses to consider my nominee.

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) May 29, 2019

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, accused Republicans of stealing a Supreme Court seat in 2016.  

Republicans stole a Supreme Court seat from President Obama in 2016.

Mitch McConnell just admitted it.

John Roberts is the Chief Justice.

But it’s really the McConnell Court.

And it has ZERO CREDIBILITY. https://t.co/07WgJEGYTu

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) May 29, 2019

The 2020 presidential election is seeing emphasis placed on the Supreme Court after President Trump has been able to fill two seats on the high court since taking office.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), who is also running for president in 2020, renewed his call to end the filibuster after McConnell’s comment. 

Mitch McConnell is not a man on the verge of an epiphany to work with Democrats. It’s time to end the filibuster. https://t.co/uQ0WUDnafc

— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) May 29, 2019

Another 2020 Democratic hopeful, Rep. Eric Swalwell (Calif.), criticized McConnell, tweeting, “In Mitch McConnell’s version of ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,’ Mr. Smith is primaried and the boys never get their campsite,” referencing the 1939 film. 

In Mitch McConnell’s version of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” Mr. Smith is primaried and the boys never get their campsite. https://t.co/rFvKhCOomm

— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) May 29, 2019

The appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the bench gave the court a firm conservative majority after the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was often the swing vote.

The composition of the Supreme Court has become increasingly discussed in recent weeks as a series of states passed laws restricting abortion rights. One, in Alabama, bans almost all abortions and could pose a direct legal challenge to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.