7 GOP senators join Democrats in confirming Biden judicial nominee



Seven Republican senators joined with Democrats and independents on Tuesday in voting to confirm President Joe Biden's nomination of Judge Tanya Monique Jones Bosier to serve as an associate judge on the Superior Court of D.C.

Lawmakers voted 57-41 in favor of confirmation, with all 41 of the opposing votes coming from Republicans.

'In DC it's business as usual.'

The seven GOP senators who voted to confirm included Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

"The GOP nominee was convicted in a kangaroo court Thursday. Just 5 days later AT THEIR FIRST CHANCE Sens. @LindseyGrahamSC @SenatorRounds @SenatorLankford @SenThomTillis voted yes on ANOTHER Biden judicial nominee. They won't stop Democrat Lawfare. In DC it's business as usual," Blaze Media's Christopher Bedford tweeted.

"Democrats didn't need these Republicans to confirm their judge. They didn't need @lisamurkowski @MittRomney @SenatorCollins either. These senators are simply adding their seals of approval. Even a controlled opposition at least pretends to oppose. There are no excuses," he added.

Last week, a jury found former President Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, guilty on all counts in a New York criminal trial.

Some GOP senators signed onto a pledge that declares, in part, that they will not vote to confirm any Biden administration political and judicial nominees.

"The White House has made a mockery of the rule of law and fundamentally altered our politics in un-American ways. As a Senate Republican conference, we are unwilling to aid and abet this White House in its project to tear this country apart. To that end, we will not 1) allow any increase to non-security related funding for this administration, or any appropriations bill which funds partisan lawfare; 2) vote to confirm this administration's political and judicial appointees; and 3) allow expedited consideration and passage of Democrat legislation or authorities that are not directly relevant to the safety of the American people," the pledge declares.

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Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine says voters should get to decide about Trump: 'This is the ultimate check within our Constitutional system'



In response to Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' move to block former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot, Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who is listed as a member of the Senate Democratic caucus, issued a statement in which he suggested that voters should get to decide the fate Trump's presidential candidacy.

"Under the established Constitutional process, the Senate was called upon to determine this precise question in Donald Trump's impeachment trial in January, 2021. While I voted with a bipartisan majority to convict, the required two-thirds of the Senate did not do so," King said in the statement.

While the House voted to impeach then-President Trump in the wake of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, the Senate vote — which occurred in February after Trump had already departed from office — fell short of the threshold necessary for conviction.

"Although I respect the Secretary of State's careful process — which she was specifically required to undertake under Maine law — absent a final judicial determination of a violation of the 14th Amendment's disqualification clause, I believe the decision as to whether or not Mr. Trump should again be considered for the presidency should rest with the people as expressed in free and fair elections. This is the ultimate check within our Constitutional system," King concluded.

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In her decision, Bellows stated that evidence demonstrated "the falsity of Mr. Trump's declaration that he meets the qualifications of the office of the presidency," and she declared that "as required ... I find that the primary petition of Mr. Trump is invalid."

But her ruling may never actually take effect, because she stipulated, "I will suspend the effect of my decision until the Superior Court rules on any appeal, or the time to appeal under 21-A, Section 337 has expired."

"We will quickly file a legal objection in state court to prevent this atrocious decision in Maine from taking effect," Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a Thursday statement.

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine said in a statement that unless Trump is determined to be guilty of insurrection, he should be permitted to be appear on the ballot.

"I voted to impeach Donald Trump for his role in the January 6th insurrection," Golden said in the statement. "I do not believe he should be re-elected as President of the United States. However, we are a nation of laws, therefore until he is actually found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot."

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who was one of the seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump after the House voted to impeach him in 2021, does not think that Bellows' decision should stand.

"Maine voters should decide who wins the election – not a Secretary of State chosen by the Legislature. The Secretary of State's decision would deny thousands of Mainers the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice, and it should be overturned," a post on the @SenatorCollins X account reads. The social media account indicates that "All tweets originate from the Press Office of Senator Susan Collins."

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Maine Democrat says Trump should be permitted on primary ballot 'until he is actually found guilty ... of insurrection'



In response to the Maine secretary of state's move to block former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine said in a statement that Trump should be permitted on the ballot until he is determined to be guilty of insurrection.

"I voted to impeach Donald Trump for his role in the January 6th insurrection," Golden said in the statement. "I do not believe he should be re-elected as President of the United States. However, we are a nation of laws, therefore until he is actually found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot."

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In her decision, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows declared that evidence showed "the falsity of Mr. Trump's declaration that he meets the qualifications of the office of the presidency," and she found "that the primary petition of Mr. Trump is invalid." However, she suspended the impact of her ruling "until the Superior Court rules on any appeal, or the time to appeal ... has expired."

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement, "We will quickly file a legal objection in state court to prevent this atrocious decision in Maine from taking effect, and President Trump will never stop fighting to Make America Great Again."

GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine apparently does not believe the decision should stand.

"Maine voters should decide who wins the election – not a Secretary of State chosen by the Legislature. The Secretary of State's decision would deny thousands of Mainers the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice, and it should be overturned," a tweet on the @SenatorCollins X account declares. The account description notes that "all tweets originate from the Press Office of Senator Susan Collins."

"Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ignores the fact that, for purposes of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, Trump was not 'an officer of the United States.' Thus, even if Trump had engaged in insurrection (to be sure, he has not), he still couldn’t be excluded," GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah tweeted.

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At least 22 reportedly killed in Maine mass shootings



At least 22 people have reportedly been killed and many others injured during shootings Wednesday night in Maine.

"Law Enforcement is attempting to locate Robert Card 4/4/1983, as a person of interest regarding the mass shooting at Schemengees Bar and Sparetime Recreation this evening. CARD should be considered armed and dangerous. Please contact law enforcement if you are aware of his whereabouts," the Lewiston Maine Police Department wrote on Facebook. The post includes a photo of the man.

In a prior post, the department shared the image of a vehicle and asked anyone who recognized it to contact police. "It is believed that the front bumper may be painted black," the post noted.

A vehicle of interest has been found in Lisbon, Maine, Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, noted in a news briefing, according to CNN.

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NBC News reported that according to a Lewiston police source, at least 22 people were killed. Fifty to 60 individuals were wounded, the outlet reported, citing four law enforcement officials briefed on the issue.

Lewiston, Maine, city councilor Robert McCarthy told CNN that there 22 people are dead and that this information was "confirmed by the city administrator."

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"As our state mourns this horrific mass shooting, we appreciate the support we've received from across the country, including the call I received from President Biden offering assistance," a tweet on Republican Sen. Susan Collins' "@SenatorCollins" X account noted. The social media account states that "All tweets originate from the Press Office of Senator Susan Collins."

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Live: Maine police respond to active shooter situation www.youtube.com

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Lisa Murkowski says she won't vote on a justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the election: 'Fair is fair'



Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death was barely announced before speculation began to run rampant on the internet about whether Republicans will attempt to confirm a nominee to replace her prior to the 2020 election.

The speculation is perhaps understandable. Most polls show President Donald Trump trailing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the general election, and a number of Republican senators in swing states are also trailing their Democratic opponents, meaning that Democrats believe that waiting until after the election will substantially increase the chances that a justice more to their liking will end up taking Ginsburg's place on the Supreme Court.

Republicans currently control 53 seats in the United States Senate, so they theoretically could force a nominee through before the election. In light of all this, some senators who are considered likely swing votes have already been approached by the media and asked if they plan to allow a vote on a replacement for Ginsburg.

One Republican senator, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, has already indicated that she will not support such a vote.

Alaska's @lisamurkowski said today she won't confirm a new SCOTUS justice until after the inauguration day. Fair is… https://t.co/LkjvXh47w6
— Liz Ruskin (@Liz Ruskin)1600472604.0

Murkowski's remark that "fair is fair" is presumably a reference to the fact that Republican senators did not allow a hearing for former President Barack Obama's nominee Merrick Garland in 2016 during an election year.

Murkowski's position does not come as a surprise. Murkowski was asked about the possibility in August, back when it was merely a hypothetical, and she said then that she would not support such an attempt.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) says it would be a “double standard" to fill a Supreme Court vacancy before 2021 & “would not support it."
— Alex Bolton (@Alex Bolton)1596454127.0

Maine Senator Susan Collins (R) also indicated some weeks ago that she would not support seating a replacement justice in October.

News: @SenatorCollins told me earlier this month in Maine that she would not seat a Supreme Court justice in Octobe… https://t.co/vgIFOMDF5h
— Jonathan Martin (@Jonathan Martin)1600474839.0

If both ssenators hold true to their positions, and no Democrats defect, that would mean that even two more Republican defections would doom any attempt to confirm a replacement for Ginsburg on the Supreme Court before the election.