UNITED STATES: Democrats vow to block Supreme Court pick

The leading Democrat in the US Senate says he will lead an attempt to block President Donald Trump’s nomination for the Supreme Court. Chuck Schumer said Judge Neil Gorsuch favoured the “powerful over the weak” and failed to answer “question after question” in his confirmation hearing. Senate Democrats are in a 48-52 minority but can […]

The leading Democrat in the US Senate says he will lead an attempt to block President Donald Trump’s nomination for the Supreme Court.
Chuck Schumer said Judge Neil Gorsuch favoured the “powerful over the weak” and failed to answer “question after question” in his confirmation hearing.
Senate Democrats are in a 48-52 minority but can insist that Mr Gorsuch wins 60 votes, a so-called filibuster.
Republicans could then revert to a simple majority in a “nuclear option”. That would require them voting in a change of rules.
He said he did not think Judge Gorsuch would be a mainstream judge. “After careful deliberation, I have concluded that I cannot support Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court,” Mr Schumer said.
“He will have to earn 60 votes for confirmation. My vote will be ‘no’, and I urge my colleagues to do the same,” he added.