Democratic Leaders Outraged By Mitch McConnell's Vow To Fill Supreme Court Vacancy During 2020 Election

Democratic leaders expressed outrage at Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell’s admission he would allow President Trump to fill a third Supreme Court vacancy if one became available during the 2020 presidential election.

McConnell’s statement on Tuesday was in stark contrast to his 2016 view when then-President Barack Obama sought to nominate Merrick Garland to the high court. McConnell argued then it was inappropriate for an outgoing president to appoint a Supreme Court Justice during an election year and the task should be left for the incoming president. McConnell blocked Garland’s nomination, and as a result President Trump already has named two justices to the court, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

McConnell made the comment during a speech in his home state. When asked what Republicans would do if there was a vacancy during the 2020 election cycle, McConnell said, “Uh, we'd fill it.”

The court currently has a 5-4 conservative majority and a third conservative appointee would further expand that imbalance. No president since Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s third executive, from 1801-1809, has appointed three justices to the Supreme Court. His predecessor, John Adams, also appointed three justices. President George Washington, the nation’s first president, appointed 11 to the first Supreme Court.

A lopsided court, and a conservative one, may put Roe v. Wade, the abortion rights ruling, in jeopardy. Such a court also could roll back other personal and civil rights.

Democratic candidates for president quickly took the opportunity to accuse McConnell of hypocrisy. Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro was one of the first.

"We've known all along how hypocritical the @senatemajldr is," said Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro. "But his shamelessness at stealing a Supreme Court seat is appalling.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., echoed Castro, and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, also a presidential candidate, said McConnell’s comment is not from a “man on the verge of an epiphany to work with Democrats.”