Yesterday, Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin took to the floor of the senate and accused the Republican caucus of institutional racism over the postponement of a vote confirming Loretta Lynch as the next attorney general.
John McCain was not having it.
Today, Senator McCain used his time on the floor to slice into Durbin—and to remind everyone that Democrats have a history of blocking Republican nominees (even the non-white ones!)
Watch:
From CNN:
“At no time has the majority leader ever indicated that he would not bring the Lynch nomination to the floor,” McCain said. “Had the senator from Illinois and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle not filibustered this bill over a manufactured crisis we could have considered the Lynch nomination this week.””I deeply regret that the senator from Illinois chose to come here yesterday and question the integrity and motivation, mine and my Republican colleagues,” McCain went on. “It was offensive and unnecessary and I think he owes this body, Ms. Lynch, and all Americans an apology.”Durbin, who listened while McCain spoke, took to the floor immediately after but never directly discussed his “back of the bus” comment. Instead he spoke about how unfair it is that Lynch, who was first nominated in November, has had to wait so long to get a vote.
“Unfairness” again. Was it “unfair” when Democrats voted against Janice Rogers-Brown, an African American judge whose nomination Durbin filibustered in 2003 and 2005? She was confirmed after waiting almost 700 days. Or when he tried to block Miguel Estrada’s nomination? Or when he voted against Condoleeza Rice during her Secretary of State nomination ordeal?
We’ll never see a true apology from Durbin, but it’s nice to see the Republicans cracking skulls over this.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY