Schumer Calls it ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Irresponsible’ to Move Forward With Supreme Court Hearing

After two Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Friday that they had tested positive for Covid-19, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer used the news as another attempt to stop the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

Schumer first acknowledged the positive tests and speculated that there may be more. He wished his colleagues “well.” He then said that “It is irresponsible and dangerous to move forward with a hearing, and there is absolutely no good reason to do so.”

We now have two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have tested positive for COVID, and there may be more. I wish my colleagues well.

It is irresponsible and dangerous to move forward with a hearing, and there is absolutely no good reason to do so.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 3, 2020

Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told radio host Hugh Hewitt that “We can move forward. Our biggest enemy obviously is … the coronavirus, keeping everybody healthy and well and in place to do our job.”

“We don’t anticipate any kind of unanticipated event that could throw us off schedule,” he added.

Schumer pontificated earlier on Trump’s diagnosis after he first wished the President and the First Lady well and said he was joining the nation in prayer.

He claimed that “What happened to President Trump is a reminder of why the whole country, including Senators and staff, must follow the science and follow the protocols laid out by the CDC and public health officials.”

He continued, “When you ignore the science, you don’t wear a mask, and you don’t follow social distancing guidelines, it puts you and everyone around you at risk.”

From CNN:

Two Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Friday that they had tested positive for Covid-19, just days after attending a White House event where President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, and Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, both attended Saturday’s event at the White House. Multiple attendees from that event, including President Donald Trump, have tested positive in the week since the ceremony, which featured many people not wearing masks and not observing proper social distancing protocols.

Both Lee and Tillis met in person with Barrett earlier this week. Lee tweeted on Friday that he took the test Thursday, and would “remain isolated” for 10 days.

He said he has “assured” Senate Republican leaders that he will “be back to work” to join the Judiciary panel to advance Barrett’s nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.