The Senate all but guaranteed Samuel Alito’s confirmation as the nation’s 110th Supreme Court justice Monday, shutting down a last-minute attempt by liberals to block the conservative judge’s nomination with a filibuster.
Republican and Democratic senators on a 72-25 vote agreed to end their debate, setting up a Tuesday morning vote on his confirmation to replace retiring moderate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
The 75-25 vote is a very healthy sign for the Senate as a whole. Lincoln Chafee became the first Republican to announce that he would vote against Alito. But he voted for cloture.
Chafee, a self-described “pro-choice, pro-environment, pro-Bill of Rights Republican,” was the only member of the Republican Party to announce he would vote against the conservative judge. Chafee refused to support the Democrats’ filibuster attempt, however. “How are we going to get anything done if we can’t work together?” Chafee asked.
Recent Comments