Outgoing GOP Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona is blocking votes on all of President Donald Trump’s appeals court nominees to secure concessions from Republican leaders on tariffs and Cuban travel restrictions.
Flake, a Trump antagonist who is not seeking reelection amid floundering popularity with Arizona Republicans, has not openly addressed the matter, though his seat on a closely divided Senate Judiciary Committee gives him significant leverage over judgeships.
Roll Call first reported that Flake halted a committee vote on Georgia Supreme Court Justice Britt Grant’s nomination to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the federal appeals court based in Atlanta. CNN confirmed late Wednesday that the senator will block all appeals court nominees to prompt discussions on relations with Cuba and the president’s escalating trade war with much of the industrial world.
Flake is one of 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which issues recommendations on judicial nominees before a final confirmation vote. The GOP has a one-vote majority on the panel, making Flake’s cooperation essential if Republicans wish to process candidates.
Read more at the Daily Caller.
Be glad for the November to be over.
Thank goodness he will not be in office much longer. Too bad about the damage he can do till then.
This is a case where one or more of the committee should take Flake outback and “explain” things to him.
Jeff Flake is damaging the whole country terribly to serve his little ego. Flake is disgusting. Very glad he is leaving.
Notice his last name? Appropriate, isn’t it?
Flake needs to be put on ice and put to one side so this obstructionist won’t interfere with progress of this country. Flake needs to resign!
what a “blivet:” Arizona please remember this POS and say “never again” >>>
The solution is simple McConnell needs to take him off the committee and replace him with someone with a brain.
He is done in politics. What a scoundrel
Or in the alternative some Democrat could remember that the country is more important than the party.
Or in the alternative some Democrat on the panel could remember that the country is more important than the party.
If Flake is obstructing the process, the Senate Majority Leader needs to remove him from the committee. Excuse me, that would take balls and McConnell clearly has none.
Empeach Flake now, don’t wait for the elections.
This would be a good time to replace RINO Ryan as well
Unfortunately you can’t impeach members of Congress.
Well, these flakes have been hurting the republican party for a long time and only a few figured out these flakes were working with the democrats . Thanks to President Trump getting in office these flakes like termites have been forced out in the open where everybody is finally getting to see why and how and by whom this country almost became a communist progressive country. However we are not out of the woodwork yet because these flakes seem to be just as numerous and destructive as termites.
This RINO is aptly named. He is a FLAKE from top to bottom and a whiner to boot.
Flake is a FLAKE and needs to shut the H*LL up… get a real job dude… one you are qualified for…. oh yea… it doesn’t exist……. RHINO socialist.
So he is acting like a child, throwing a fit because he cant get his own way. Quit holding us progress ya Idiot.
We should stop calling them RINOS, THEY ARE DUMBORATS CALLING THEMSELFS REPUBLICANS OR DCTRS.
These judges are coming from the Heritage Foundation Zoo of political nuts. They are never qualified and will have to be removed with Trump.
The real question has to be how Flake penetrated the Arizona Republican Party to a degree that he was qualified to run for the U.S. Senate from that state. He is the most blatant example of “Republican in name only.” (RINO) He has supposedly announced that he won’t run for reelection…not that he’d receive enough GOP votes to make it again. He’d have a greater chance to run as a Democrat, which is closer to his philosophy. I keep asking “Arizona, WTH is up with you?” The AZ GOP did a horrendous vetting of this “flake” unless there was none at all.
The ONLY time this piece of crap has ever had ANY power and, like the childish LOSER he is, he uses it to screw the people who ELECTED the man WE want to be OUR President just because he can’t have his way any other way. The sooner he leaves office the better. We expect this BS from the socialcommucRATS. This so-called republican is a TRAITOR.
Americans are, I think, I hope, waking up to those politicians who don’t serve the people. And those politicians who are anti-American. Of course, the national democrat party is solidly anti-American. But many republicans are no prize either. The democrats lost about one thousand state and federal legislative seats during the eight years of Obama. And the American people elected Trump even though the media was massively against him and the Clinton campaign outspent him about two to one. Real Americans (of all races and nationalities) may finally be coming out of their deep sleep. If America is going to be saved from socialists/communists/Marxists, it really must.
It just shows you how much Jeff Flake loves this country. When he gets out of office I hope he leaves the country. What a complete jerk he is.
There must be a way to remove him from the committee! Where is the Leader? Where is the person who put him on this committee in the first place? DC is so corrupt and YOUR senator is either controlled by the heads of either parties senate or congress. TERM LIMITS NOW. But first, do not allow Flake to blackmail all of America to get his personal way. Throw him off of the committee NOW.
I apologize for letting myself be duped into voting for Flake. McConnell should replace the RINO with a RINO hunter. If the Senate is lost in Nov. there will be no way to counter all Obama’s Socialist judges.
Jeff Flake is a walking idiot! That is why he is not running for reelection, Arizona has had enough of this conceited asshole.
I wish I could be as confident as you about AZ. Follow the congressional ratings given members of both chambers at Heritage Foundation. Its ratings for all elected Senators and Reps. tells the story.
flake – NO WONDER HE CAN’T GET ANYTHING DONE. HE SURE HAS THE RIGHT NAME. WHAT A TOTAL WASTE
I would expect nothing less or more from Flake “the Flake”. Can’t wait to be rid of him!
And just HOW long did Sen. McConnell block even a hearing on a Supreme Court Justice? You are such bloody hypocrites!
HOW CAN ONE BE A HYPOCRITE WHEN THEY CALL A SPADE A SPADE?
By your choice of words you sound like a Brit or Aussie and if ya do not live in our Great Country your opinion is as good as a roll of Contenell bathroom paper if ya get my meaning
I am SO glad you used the word “hypocrites”. It was democrat Joe Biden who first suggested this saying “…delay filling a Supreme Court vacancy, should one arise, until the presidential election was over, and that it was ‘essential’ that the Senate refuse to confirm a nominee to the court until then.” Of course, it was 1992 and the president was G. W. Bush. Here is a source that is not particularly right wing: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/us/politics/joe-biden-argued-for-delaying-supreme-court-picks-in-1992.html So, who’s the hypocrite now?
ALL of DC is corrupt hypocrites!! What else is new? However, today is a new day and we need SOMETHING done by these committees. People are loosing their homes because it has taken this Congress over a year to approve positions! I know because my son got caught in this mess. Selfish, Self-serving, corrupt , elitist politicians and it does not help that folks like you remain married to a certain party because you remain clueless !
The Senate, especially, gets tied up because both Republican leadership and Democrat minority are so close in numbers count. Therefore, if the Republicans introduce a bill, it becomes waylaid because Democrat leadership in Senate (Schumer) holds a tight rein on Democrats even thinking of voting for a Republican sponsored bill.
Not as long as Reid, Schumer and Pelosi!