Thread by @jbendery

"This behavior is novel," McConnell gripes of Dems delaying votes on Trump nominees. "It's a break from Senate tradition."

Here's a story I did on Republicans denying Obama a judge seat for six YEARS. Then they filled the seat once Trump was president. huffpost.com/entry/michael-…

McConnell has set up a 2:15 vote today to change the Senate rules to make it easier to confirm Trump's judges, after years of denying Obama the ability to fill so many of these court seats.

BG: huffpost.com/entry/mitch-mc…

Now Sen. Cornyn (R) is urging Dems to "rise above partisanship" + vote to change Senate rules to confirm Trump's judges more quickly.

Here's a story I did about Cornyn blocking his *own* judicial nominees under Obama so a future GOP prez could fill them. huffpost.com/entry/senate-r…

Little note on today's vote to change the Senate rules:

If Dems don't vote with GOP to do this (they won't), McConnell won't go nuclear straight away, per his office. Earliest next step would be Weds.

Now Sen. Thune (R) is up, saying Dems have "delayed and obstructed nominees that they have ultimately supported."

Here's a story I did about Republicans delaying and blocking their *own* judicial nominees under Obama, only to support them in the end huffpost.com/entry/republic…

"'The rules don't apply to us' attitude has unfortunately become pretty typical for the Democratic Party," Sen. Thune* bemoans about Dems delaying votes on Trump nominees.

Thune denied Obama a vote or a hearing on his Supreme Court pick. Unprecedented. thune.senate.gov/public/index.c…

Sen. Grassley is now criticizing Democrats for "systematically denying cloture" to move forward with Trump nominees.

Here's a story I did about Republicans routinely abusing the cloture rule to prevent Obama from getting votes on his judicial nominees.
huffpost.com/entry/republic…

"In many cases, the demand for a cloture vote appear to be solely about delaying and about obstructing, not anything about the specific nominee or his qualifications," complains Grassley, who personally denied a hearing to Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland.

"This is very unfair to nominees who submit to an extensive vetting process and put their professional lives on hold so they can serve." -- Chuck Grassley, who, again, refused to even give a hearing to Obama's very qualified Supreme Court nominee

I swear I have stories out there that undermine every single argument that Republicans are making now for why it's not fair that Dems are delaying votes on some of Trump's judicial picks.

These same GOP senators abused the hell outta Senate rules to block Obama's judicial picks.

Sen. Lankford (R) laments that Democrats' delays on Trump nominees are "a new way of not operating in the Senate."

Here's a story I did where Lankford's spokesman said he was prepared to block Obama's Supreme Court pick forever. “No hearings. No vote.” huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz…

"We should respect each other," declares Lankford. "No one can lock up the body and demand 30 hours of time" to debate a nominee.

Here's a story I did about Republicans not letting 30+ Obama judicial nominees get votes. Some waited more than a year. huffpost.com/entry/senate-r…

In the end, all but one Republican -- Mike Lee -- voted today to change the Senate rules to make it easier to confirm even more of Trump's judges.

The vote failed. But this isn't over. huffpost.com/entry/senate-r…

In related news, Trump just announced three more district court nominees.