Amy Klobuchar Keeps Voting for Trump's 'Horrific' Judges

[erpowers]

Snip

But Klobuchar, who ran the largest prosecutor’s office in Minnesota before being elected to the Senate, has a more complicated history with the judges she dubbed “horrific” in last month’s debate. Over the course of the 2017-2018 congressional session, Klobuchar voted to confirm nearly two-thirds of Trump’s judicial nominees that came up for a vote, far outpacing every other Democratic senator currently seeking the nomination.

In some cases, Klobuchar was the sole Senate Democrat of the seven who have sought the nomination to vote for the nominee in question. In January 2018, Klobuchar joined just six other Democrats in breaking a party-line vote on the nomination of Judge David Ryan Stras to the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, joining Judiciary Committee Republicans and just one other Democrat to approve the pick.

Snip

In other cases, Klobuchar has been joined by Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, who, like Klobuchar, is running a centrist campaign that emphasizes his cross-aisle appeal. One example is the confirmation of Judge Kurt Damian Engelhardt, who in December 2019 ruled in the majority to declare the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate unconstitutional—putting the legislation in danger of being undone by a Supreme Court ruling.

Snip

Klobuchar’s campaign told The Daily Beast that the senator’s votes to confirm nominees have dropped in the current congressional term, with Klobuchar voting to confirm less than 40 percent of Trump’s judicial nominees over the course of his entire presidency thus far.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/amy-klobuchar-keeps-voting-for-trumps-horrific-judges?ref=scroll

[melman]

1. Not good

Not good at all.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

47. And yet, folks here will bash Bernie incessantly for sposedly not being a Democrat

when Bernie votes with his fellow Democrats far more often then moderate Democrats, like Klobuchar. Makes ZERO sense!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[ehrnst]

61. Well, there is that "I" and not a "D" by his name on Senate.gov and all those voting records...

If you think that pointing out that fact is "bashing," then perhaps you need to re-examine your choice of candidate.

So, do you think that Bernie isn't being honest here?

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Tuesday night that he still does not consider himself a Democrat despite taking part in a Democratic National Committee (DNC) unity tour with the party's new chairman, Tom Perez.

"No, I'm an Independent," Sanders said when asked by MSNBC's Chris Hayes whether he now identifies as a Democrat.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/329418-sanders-i-do-not-consider-myself-a-democrat

[George II]

66. But Bernie didn't even bother to vote against most of those nominations. There were 428 votes....

....in the Senate in 2019, his last vote was on June 28, the 189th vote of the session. There were 239 votes after that, he missed each and every one. He wasn't seen in the Senate chamber for more than SIX months!

So, he clearly did NOT vote "with his fellow" (a mischaracterization) Democrats" more than 50% of the time. Klobuchar voted against MORE of those nominations than he did. She was there, he wasn't. You can look it up:

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_116_1.htm

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. He doesn't. That rumor was false.

[dewsgirl]

26. Thank you, I wasn't aware.

[TwilightZone]

11. As noted, the rumor was false.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287374861

[dewsgirl]

25. Thank you.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

48. Thanks... that's a relief to know.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[highplainsdem]

21. He doesn't belong to the Federalist Society. He did coontribute to a teleforum of theirs on capital

punishment, since he's an expert on that, but that's NOT the same thing as belonging to the group.

I'm glad you pointed out this was just a rumor.

Wikipedia article on her husband:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bessler

[dewsgirl]

24. Thank you, I wasn't aware.

[LakeArenal]

30. I take this with the same grain of salt as reports on Biden's "problems"

I’m sure there is more to all these types of stories than the headline by an “undecided”.

[dem4decades]

3. Maybe she's a little too centrist?

S

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Not too centrist, but maybe too cautious.

She's one of my Senators. My main criticism of her as a Senator is that she has often seemed too cautious, although her votes have been reliably liberal. She seems to have grown a spine as a presidential candidate, but that's my observation of her as a Senator.

[Demsrule86]

20. Perhaps AOC should move to Minnesota and we cans see how she fares in a Senate race in a purple

state.

[Eliot Rosewater]

28. Centrist is a KGB GOP talking point like corporate democrats, I wish it was AGAINST THE RULES

to use it here.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. I agree, I hate both of those terms. They're meaningless insults, often used like

those old Communist denunciations along the lines of "running dog lackey of capitalist imperialism" or "bourgeois traitor to the proletariat" - in other words, intended to imply that someone has not adequately toed the "progressive" party line. When did it become unacceptable not to be extreme?

[Turin_C3PO]

43. There are such a thing

as centrists and moderates, no point in denying it. Although I don’t think any of our current candidates fit that label. They’re all liberals and progressives this time around. But some, like Bill Clinton were moderate while others, like Joe Manchin, are center-right, IMO.

I do agree that “corporate Democrat” is a bullshit slur.

[Eliot Rosewater]

44. These terms are used by our enemy, on purpose. Centrist is meaningless as

the political curve is constantly changing.

[redqueen]

67. Our "enemy"? Really? Like Paul Wellstone?

[Eliot Rosewater]

69. BULLSHIT, that was a DIFFERENT TIME

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

49. Too moderate for me... but, I do put her ahead of Joe on my preference list for obvious reasons.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[LonePirate]

52. Centrists don't vote for unqualified, hard, right wing judges.

I'm not sure what that makes Klobuchar other than someone I refuse to support during the primary and I hope to hell she does not win the nomination.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

54. MAYBE?!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[George II]

4. In all the confirmation votes of 2019, more than 90 of them, the average vote was....

....67-27, almost one-third have had at least 80 votes. It's unfair to dump this on Klobuchar only. Obviously a lot of other Democrats have voted for confirmation, too.

At least she was there for many of those votes.

[Demsrule86]

19. This entire post sucks...and the attacks on Democrats are awful. People don't get that we

nearly lost Minnesota last time. Some have no understanding of mid west states and neither do their candidates who are very likely to lose a general if they are the nominee

[Doremus]

27. But it was a moderate candidate last time

I live in a midwest state and thoroughly understand that Trump won by 80k votes in 3 rust belt states.

Our moderate candidate didn't get them to the polls.

I hope we don't make the same mistake again.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

53. BINGO!! WE NEED A CANDIDATE THAT EXCITES THE BASE TO TURN OUT!!

Bernie, with his bold progressive agenda, will get working class voters to the polls in droves and clobber tRumpty Dumbty... a moderate incrementalist approach will just give us 4 more years of President Pig Vomit!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[Demsrule86]

63. I understand too...Hillary was fucked over by the green left...Stein took enough votes to have

made Hillary the winner in all the important states...and Hillary barely lost...how do you suppose Warren's signing onto Trump's new NAFTA will play in the Mid West? Will that excite the voters? How about Sanders healthcare which destroys hard won great union healthcare...my son won't vote for Sanders in the primary because of it. 16 was not about moderate vs liberal candidates...it was about the left/ greens taking down a Democratic nominee with a bit of help from the Russians...the Russian princess Jill Stein did her job.

I will vote for Biden because he can win the states we need Mi,WI and PA. Also he has the experience to fix the damage caused by Trump and maybe get some stuff done if we get the Senate. I live in Ohio which Biden could take by the way but the others...never. Not only will your 'exciting; candidates not win the general but they will probably cost us Virginia, the House and the Senate as well. The Mid West is not progressive and we need to win big with AA voters there also. Neither Warren nor Sanders can do that IMHO...so you know what I for one am sick of 'excitement'. I want a fucking win...I want a God Damn moving truck taking all Trump's shit and his creepy grifter family to his shit hole resort in Florida or maybe San Quentin would be better...I want that fucking wannabe dictator murderer gone. And I am damned excited to see that rat bastard go. So that is what I find exciting.

[Kurt V.]

34. i suspect this correct.

"Obviously a lot of other Democrats have voted for confirmation, too."

[Bluepinky]

5. I wonder if these votes were just political.

If these conservative judges had enough votes from Republicans to win anyway, she may have voted for them to maintain her moderate base. Some of the Democrats do this as a strategic move. I don’t necessarily like it, but I see why they do it.

[judeling]

12. Not her Base but her effectiveness

The thing about Amy is she does play the game. You don't get to be by many measures the most effective Senator of your generation without actually playing the game. Using a useless vote is one tool.

That is what you would get if you got her. Someone willing to play the game to get things done. The difference would be she was setting the agenda.

It is one of the main reasons I support her. More actual progress will get done with her then anyone else.

[Bluepinky]

46. I do like her.

Wish she was more progressive, but she may be the one to beat Republicans in some of the hard to win Midwestern states.

[LovingA2andMI]

6. Nope....

And Nope. We're good and her chances of winning Iowa are none or cracking 15%. She'll be leaving soon going back to the Senate or Minnesota.

[Scruffy1]

7. You are correct.

I like her a lot, but her record is pretty much Republican light. This is how she gets big vote numbers in Minnesota, but it's not going to cut it in the presidential race. I think her supporters will probably mostly go to Joe.Iowa and Minnesota are joined at the hip and if she can't get some decent sdhowing there it's time to go home.

[Turin_C3PO]

45. She is not Republican light.

That’s a slur and very close to “both siderism”.

[LakeArenal]

55. Why do you need to slam her like that?

Please... Don’t give that bs “ I like her ‘a lot’ (you even say) then proceed to call her Republican light.

Then the “joined at the Hip” bit.
Yeah, you like her a lot.
That is just crap.

[Owens]

8. She's no leader

She tends to be a poll watcher when the issue of gay marriage came up in Minnesota, she waited till the polls tilted favorably for gay marriage then announced she was pro-gay marriage. A true leader would believe in something, even if unpopular. Her silence spoke volumes.

[Demsrule86]

18. Unfair and people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones...Buttigieg still has not

addressed the police chief thing which I never put in OP's because we should not attack our own.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

50. Yes, that has ALWAYS bugged me about Klobuchar.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[squirecam]

14. She

Will be going to the White House as Biden’s VP.

[The Valley Below]

22. I think so too.

Makes a lot of sense.

[LakeArenal]

56. That would be great.

The only woman in the primaries that I think could gain votes in the MidWest.

[question everything]

9. I suspect that she has been concerned about the high vacancy

We never heard about this but I think that Garland was the most visible act of the turtle. Obama left with many offices not filled and I think that the turtle blocked them all.

Thus I think, I don’t really know, that Klobuchar concluded that filling these offices with otherwise qualified judges was important.

This is, again, why I think that taking control of the Senate is more important.

[Demsrule86]

17. She can't stop them and we came close to losing Minnesota in 16.This OP is unfair and wrong.

[AZ8theist]

13. How ANY DEMOCRAT could vote for ANYTHING OR ANYBODY..

The TRAITOR occupying the White House proposes....

Is beyond me.

There should be one, AND ONLY ONE response to anything this traitorous piece of shit proposes: NO. FUCKING HELL NO.

Donald, you are ILLEGITIMATE you fucking Putin boot licker. GO. FUCK. YOURSELF.

[Demsrule86]

16. Please stop...this is disgusting. Amy is in a purple state yes...

Minnesota is a purple state we almost lost it in 16...she has to to win statewide not in some safe blue district where no matter who runs we keep the seat. What is the point of making her vote against judges who will get on the court anyway? We can't stop the judges...that ship sailed in November of 16 and some on Dailay Kos who whined about Hillary and encouraged voting for Stein are to blame not Amy. We lose her seat we get no judges because we don't get the senate...this sort of thing makes me sick. Amy isn't even close to whoever you support Sanders,Buttigieg or Warren I suppose so why this?

[question everything]

23. Thank you for injecting some clear observations

[mr_lebowski]

32. DemsRule is consistently pragmatic ... I like that about him ...

At least I've always assumed they're male, sorry if incorrect

[Demsrule86]

38. Funny you say that...I am a woman. However, growing up with three great brothers probably

had an effect. And thank you for the compliment...very kind.

[mr_lebowski]

41. Well then here's another one for ya, Missy :)

I really don't have the stomach a lot of times to wade into the internecine squabbling happening in this particular forum, it distresses me too much.

However, when I deign to do so, I very often find you in them, making the very points that I would be making. Fighting the good fight as it were.

So, thanks for saving me a lot of time and trouble

[Demsrule86]

59. That how I feel about you. I always read your posts...

[mr_lebowski]

62. Much obliged :)

[Demsrule86]

65. Just keep them coming.

[LakeArenal]

57. Yeah. What Mr L says.

I feel the same about Mr L as well.

[Demsrule86]

58. So nice...you guy are great!!!!

[LakeArenal]

60. 😉✌🏼💋

[Demsrule86]

64. Awww....

[Demsrule86]

40. Thank you. I like Amy and understand she has to walk a fine line as I live in Ohio...but

to do this to any candidate would be wrong. We are at the end of the primary all on the same side.

[Baked Potato]

36. I appreciate the clarity and reality

These candidates are real people with real constituents. There is a diversity in the states that our Democratic Senators have to work towards satisfying.

[Demsrule86]

37. answered the wrong post! Thank you.

And you are correct about senators...well said.

[Loki Liesmith]

33. A senator being collegial. The horror.

It means nothing.

[Baked Potato]

35. She wasn't alone in voting for the judge who wrote the opinion against the ACA mandate

From the article, last paragraph:

“The fact that Senator Sanders and then-Senator Biden also supported [the other circuit court] judge who wrote the opinion to strike down the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate demonstrates what Senator Klobuchar said on the debate stage: you are not going to agree with every decision a judge makes,” a campaign spokesperson said.

[Demsrule86]

39. Biden was the vice president when the ACA ruling was made...so no such ruling was

available for either Amy or Biden to peruse...so now we hold future rulings against those who vote for a judge? That is silly...and up until Obama...the president mostly got his judges.

[question everything]

42. Sanders, too? The Horror!

But not a peep here..

[redqueen]

68. What about the anti-LGBTQ judge? nt

[totodeinhere]

51. She is not my first choice for the nomination. But I think you are grasping at straws here

in an effort to discredit her. Many of his courts picks have received affirmative votes from Democratic senators, not just Senator Klobuchar. If she were to get the nomination, I would have no problem with voting for her in the general.