From left, Sen. Joni Ernst, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Roy Blunt conclude a news conference after a Senate policy luncheon st the Capitol on April 2, 2019, in Washington, D.C.
Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

With Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expected as early as Wednesday to use the so-called “nuclear option” to speed up the confirmation process for President Donald Trump’s right wing judicial nominees, progressives raised alarm and urged Americans to pressure their senators to stop the “reckless court packing” by the Republican Party.

“McConnell has signaled he is ready to use the so-called ‘nuclear option’ to further pack the courts with Trump’s lifetime judicial appointments,”tweeted the progressive advocacy group 5 Calls. “Tell the Senate to block McConnell and stop further erosion of our democratic norms!”

On Tuesday, Republicans failed to reach the 60 votes necessary to advance S. Res 50, which would change Senate rules to cut debate time on district court nominees and other lower-level judges from 30 hours to just two hours.

The vote, which was expected to […]