Shortly after President Donald Trump assumed office, he nominated Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to fill a vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Republicans had refused to hold a hearing on President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, for the same position.
Democrats filibustered Gorsuch’s nomination, so Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) used the “nuclear option” to remove the Democrat’s chance to filibuster. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had previously used this tactic to end Republican’s ability to filibuster Obama’s lower court nominees.
.png)
.png)
