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WASHINGTON – A political war against the replacement of Judge Anthony M. Kennedy erupted on Thursday in Washington, the beginning of an electoral conflict during a presidential election that will end the election. Judicial Future of the Country
Hours after the announcement by Judge Kennedy on Wednesday that he will step down on July 31, conservative organizations are mobilizing to support the Republican-controlled Senate in a swift confirmation of a judge who should vote against the previous liberals of the court. A group, the Judicial Crisis Network, has already launched a million-dollar publicity campaign to support the president's choice
Democrats and Liberal Advocates Face Huge Challenges They want to prevent President Trump and the Republicans from installing a conservative justice. which would change the ideological balance of the court for generations. Mr. Trump promised to choose from a list of highly conservative jurists, and Republicans control the Senate, which can confirm the president's choice by simple majority.
But the effect of the departure of Judge Kennedy has inflamed Democratic lawmakers, party strategists and liberal activists, who have fought a fierce battle to try to preserve decades of Liberal judicial precedents on abortion , civil rights, gay rights, affirmative action and the death penalty.
"I think he fell very fast," said Brian Fallon, a veteran Democratic agent whose organization, Demand Justice, is leading the charge against Trump's choice. "If we do not succeed in this fight, Trumpism will be here for 40 years, not just four years."
Democratic strategists say the party must model its resistance to the successful struggle. Robert H. Bork President Ronald Reagan's choice for the Supreme Court After defeating Judge Bork, Reagan eventually settled Judge Kennedy, who was seen as a more moderate choice.
Where they can mobilize Democrats and liberals, lawmakers say they hope to demand more moderate justice from current president,
"There are people who have had to withdraw over the years because you get information and you get them question and that the audience concentrates and galvanizes them ", said Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota.
Demand Justice began running online advertisements against three possible choices of Mr. Trump and expects to spend more than $ 1 million in TV commercials once the president has chosen a candidate
. Coney Barrett, who is on the president's list of possible presidents, for saying that the Affordable Care Act should have been ruled unconstitutional. Another advertisement is aimed at Judge Brett Kavanaugh, another possible choice, to say that a president should be able to "decide if and when he can be investigated."
Democrats say that they will focus on two main issues, abortion and health care. Mr. Fallon, who worked for President Barack Obama and was one of the key spokespersons for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, said the challenge would be to convince people that a Trump justice represents a threat to both of these issues. and spend the money to communicate the consequences of what a 5 to 4 court with a newly installed judge looks like, "said Mr. Fallon.
Democratic lawmakers rallied on the marches of the Supreme Court Thursday morning, flanked by progressive members, to declare their opposition to all potential candidates on Mr. Trump's public list of 25 possible jurists.
On Capitol Hill, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic House leader, warned of high stakes to fill the vacancy
"Do not get me wrong: Republicans now have the opportunity to erase a generation of progress in favor of women's rights, LGBTQ Ms. Pelosi said, "Democrats must demand that Mr. Trump's choice for the court explicitly say that he would defend Roe v. Wade, the flagship deal. establish a right to abortion. To say that it is a "well-established law", as some Conservatives concede, is not enough, say the strategists
Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican and leader of the majority, promised to react quickly a once Mr. Trump announced his choice, but Democratic lawmakers demand that the replacement of Judge Kennedy not be confirmed before the midterm elections in the fall. They argue that voters should have the opportunity to choose the members of Congress that they want to vote on in the vital selection.
Democrats angrily stressed that the Republicans, led by Mr. McConnell, used exactly this argument in 2016, prior to the presidential election, as they blocked Judge Merrick B. Garland's choice of president Barack Obama to fill the vacant seat after the death of Judge Antonin Scalia.
On Thursday, Mr. McConnell defended his decision to go ahead with this vacancy this year.
"This is not 2016," he told the Senate. "There are not the last months of a constitutionally flawed second term presidency with a presidential election fast approaching, and we are in the middle of this president's first term."
McConnell pointed out the Supreme Court confirmations of Elena Kagan's justices in 2010, Stephen G. Breyer in 1994 and David H. Souter in 1990 – all the mid-term election years in a first presidential term. [19659008] "To my knowledge, no one on either side He already suggested yesterday that the Senate should only process applications to the Supreme Court in odd years," said Mr. McConnell, president of the campaign for human rights. Man. "
" We must continue to organize, mobilize and ensure that legislators are accountable every day – and we must then be there as never before in November, "he said. said Democrat of Vir ginie, echoed this message in an email to his supporters seeking signatures on a petition.
"We should not vote on a new Supreme Court until the American people vote in November," Kaine wrote. "Sign my petition if you agree: no vote of the Supreme Court until the American people vote."
This is unlikely to happen, since Mr. Trump and his congressional allies want to make sure to act before the fall elections, when the Democrats could take over the control of the Senate.
To this end, conservative organizations plan campaigns to support quick confirmation.
"Concerned Women for America is gearing up for our biggest and perhaps most important confirmation battle in our nearly 40-year history," said Penny Nance, the group's president. "We plan to devote considerable resources to this effort, and we hope to win." Our merry warriors / activists enjoy combat and brilliance in these historic moments. "
Carrie Severino, Chief Counsel and Policy Director of Judicial Crisis Network, said his organization was already broadcasting ads targeting Democratic senators in the states.Trump won during the presidential election.
An ad says: "As they did before, the extremists lie and attack the candidate. But do not be fooled. President Trump's list includes the best of the best.
Severino said that she expects the Liberals to aggressively criticize the choice of president for the court, no matter who that person is.
"It's the war against women. Or that person hates the little guy, "she said." Without even knowing the candidate, we know the directions they will follow. Some of these scare tactics have been used since Reagan's appointments. We are waiting for that and we are absolutely prepared. "
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