Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin abruptly cut off Sen. Tom Cotton from finishing his remarks on nominee Vanita Gupta to push her vote immediately through the Committee.
“Senator Durbin forced a sham roll call vote—both violating the rules and making it clear the Democrats know Gupta’s nomination is on life support,” Cotton later tweeted, calling it “the Senate equivalent of pulling a fire alarm to escape a test in high school.”
“Why?” Cotton continued. “Because Vanita Gupta has said that every single American is racist. She has refused to answer basic questions about her record. She has made personal attacks on the character and integrity of senators & judges that she still refuses to apologize for. She is unfit for office.”
Gupta has been criticized by 11 Republican senators who demanded a second confirmation hearing for the nominee due to “her misleading statements, and for her refusal to respond to our written questions.”