Video: Raising Safety Concerns, Kaine Calls For Delay in Rushed Supreme Court Nomination Process

You can watch Kaine’s opening remarks here and his calls for delay here 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine delivered opening remarks on the Senate floor and called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to delay the Senate’s rushed Supreme Court nomination process until after the election in November, citing not only the “unprecedented process” — rushing a nomination while an election is underway — but also the safety of members and staff amid growing COVID-19 infections among Senators. When Leader McConnell moved to adjourn the Senate until only October 19th, Kaine requested that Leader McConnell modify his motion so that the Senate would not reconvene until November 4th. Leader McConnell denied Kaine’s request and recessed the Senate until only October 19th.

In Kaine’s opening remarks, he prayed for a quick and full recovery for the President, First Lady, and his Senate colleagues who have tested positive for COVID-19. Kaine said that, having had COVID-19, “I understand how tricky this can be and knowing four people who have died of coronavirus, how serious this can be. Our prayer is that this is a mild case and it passes quickly.”

He raised concerns that his Republican colleagues, despite the health risks, “want to now speed through a Supreme Court nomination with an unprecedented speed and an unprecedented process...I don’t think there is any unreasonableness to a Judiciary Committee member’s request that a hearing on the single most important appointment that the Senate might make should be done in person and that, if it’s done in person, it should be done in person in a way that’s safe. And that is the request that Democrats would have and that we continue to believe would be in accord with the institution’s norms but also the best thing for the safety of all members.”

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