Democrats are vowing to fight to protect abortion rights after the Supreme Court's decision to let Texas' extreme anti-abortion law take effect.

Ok but how? huffpost.com/entry/biden-de… w/ @elisefoley
They're citing several possible actions: codifying Roe v. Wade, expanding SCOTUS, enlisting DOJ + HHS to ensure Texas women can access abortions.

But even as Dems control all of govt, the Senate filibuster could stop them from taking any major action.
What can Democrats actually do to ensure the preservation of abortion rights as Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance?

You can't codify Roe v. Wade without reforming/nixing the Senate filibuster.

You can't expand SCOTUS either.
"Democrats can either abolish the filibuster and expand the court, or do nothing as millions of peoples’ bodies, rights, and lives are sacrificed for far-right minority rule," as @AOC put it.

"This shouldn’t be a difficult decision." huffpost.com/entry/biden-de…
Some real talk from Sen. Tina Smith on how Dems will protect abortion rights:

"I support ending the filibuster. I support codifying Roe v Wade. I would support reforming the Supreme Court. But we need to be real: There are not votes in the U.S. Senate to do any of those things."
Just talked to Smith, who was clearly exasperated by what is preventing Dems from ensuring protections for abortion rights: the filibuster.

“It is stunning to me that a rule of the U.S. Senate with a racist past is the thing that is stopping us from protecting women."
To Smith, the best way to protect abortion rights is for people to channel their anger over the Texas law and the Supreme Court's decision into the 2022 elections.

"The only thing that I know to do is go out there and organize, organize, organize and win elections.”
Remarkable to hear a Democratic U.S. senator working with a Democrat-led Senate, House and White House say the most effective solution for protecting abortion rights is to focus on the next election.

More here: huffpost.com/entry/biden-de…

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More from @jbendery

15 Sep
Gm! ☕️

ICYMI: One of Biden's nominees to a U.S. appeals court repeatedly declined to say if she thinks Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is “intellectually and morally bankrupt,” a characterization she endorsed in 2018.

Republicans went nuts. huffpost.com/entry/brett-ka…
A few notable moments from Jennifer Sung's confirmation hearing yesterday.

(1/5000)

JK (1/?)

(?/?)
Sung, a labor lawyer and former union organizer in Oregon, is up for a seat on the 9th Circuit.

Republicans took turns yesterday trying get Sung to say she did not feel this way about Kavanaugh anymore. Some made quite a show of it, esp Sen. Kennedy.
Read 17 tweets
14 Sep
Gm! ☕️

The Senate Judiciary Committee has begun its confirmation hearing for 2 of Biden's nominees to lifetime seats on federal appeals courts.

Beth Robinson, for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Jennifer Sung, for the U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit
Robinson has been an associate judge on the Vermont Supreme Court since 2011.

If confirmed, she would be the first openly LGBTQ woman to serve on *any* U.S. appeals court. huffpost.com/entry/joe-bide…
Sung, a labor lawyer and former union organizer, has been a member of the Oregon Employment Relations Board since being appointed in 2017.

If confirmed, she'd be the first Asian American judge from Oregon on the 9th Circuit.
Read 13 tweets
10 Sep
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) issued a statement today denying responsibility for letting loose the six zebras that have been on the run in the D.C. suburbs.
"Local news has reported that the zebras were let loose on Saturday or Sunday of last weekend, a period of time during which I was enjoying quiet time at home with family,” Norton said. “My alibi is solid."
Read 4 tweets
8 Sep
NEW: Progressive judicial advocacy group Demand Justice launches $1.5 million effort aimed at pressuring Democrats to support legislation adding seats to the Supreme Court huffpost.com/entry/demand-j…
Demand Justice's plans include hiring an in-house team of 6 people, working with Bernie Sanders’ campaign strategist Becky Bond + organizing an in-person lobby day on Capitol Hill in October ― timed with the anniversary of Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
The group has already recruited 400+ volunteers to meet with nearly three dozen Democratic lawmakers’ offices to urge their support for The Justice Act, a bill that would expand the Supreme Court from 9 seats to 13.
Read 5 tweets
8 Sep
Biden just nominated another historic, diverse pool of people to be lifetime federal judges.

In the mix: nominees who'd be the first Korean American woman to serve on *any* U.S. appeals court + the second Black woman ever on the Ninth Circuit. huffpost.com/entry/joe-bide…
Notably, Biden also picked Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

If confirmed, she'd be the only Black woman serving as an active judge on *any* of California’s four federal district courts.
As of today, Biden has nominated a total of 43 people to be lifetime federal judges.

He's been confirming judges faster than any president in more than 50 years by this point in their terms. huffpost.com/entry/joe-bide…
Read 5 tweets
2 Sep
JUST IN: Nancy Pelosi announces the House will take up legislation to codify Roe v. Wade -- enshrining abortion rights into federal law -- as soon as the House returns from recess. huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pe…
Pelosi also railed against the Supreme Court's "cowardly, dark-of-night decision” to let Texas' extreme anti-abortion law take effect.

The Texas law bans abortions after 6 weeks and even awards $ to people who report on someone assisting another person terminating a pregnancy.
"SB8 is the most extreme, dangerous abortion ban in half a century," Pelosi said. "Its purpose is to destroy Roe v. Wade."
Read 4 tweets

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