Thread by @HeidiReports

👉Senate historical records dating to 1900 reviewed by @NBCNews:

No president has seated a Supreme Court nominee within 3 months of an election.

👉A confirmation weeks before Election Day would be first in modern history.

(Trump says he wants a vote before election day.)

The closest comparison would be Wilson’s successful confirmation of John Clarke in July of 1916.

Pres. historian John Meacham: McConnell “invented” a rule to block Obama’s 2016 nominee & now his premise for moving forward – bcz Rs control the Senate -- is “equally invented.”

“The moment we’re in," he added, "is about the acquisition and use of power. It’s not driven by constitutional principle or practice. The more honest we are about that better.”

While there’ve been a number of confirmations to the high court in election years,

including several in lame duck sessions after an election, none of them have taken place weeks before an election, according to Senate historical records reviewed by NBC.

That's especially relevant given McConnell's original premise for blocking an election-year vote was to ...

allow "the people" to decide.

Obama won the popular vote 2 times. Trump lost the popular vote and voting is underway for 2020.

Dems picked up 40 House seats in 2018, their biggest House gain in 40 years.

But the House doesn't have a say in the judicial confirmation process,

and Republicans expanded their Senate majority during those same midterm elections, a point that GOP senators have said re-enforces their argument.

nbcnews.com/politics/meet-… via @NBCNews

Finally, a quote from L. Johnson, a month before '68 election after his SC pick was filibustered.

“In ordinary times I would feel it my duty now to send another name to the Senate ... I shall not do so."

"These are not ordinary times. We are threatened by an emotionalism,

partisanship, and prejudice that compel us to use great care if we are to avoid injury to our constitutional system.”

presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/stat…