12/05/2018
Newton’s laws of physics can sometimes affect Congress. Fox’s Chad Pergram explains in today’s “Speaker’s Lobby.”
I’m Chad Pergram with the Speaker’s Lobby.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, reads Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion.
Sometimes the laws of physics can be fused with the laws of politics.
Here is the “Third Law of Congress”: For every action on Capitol Hill, there is an equal and opposite reaction and consequences.
Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake said he wouldn’t help advance any of President Trump’s judicial nominees unless he got a vote on his bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller from firing.
Senate Republicans twice blocked Flake from calling up his bill.
That’s the action.
And so, the Senate tried to muscle through the nomination of Thomas Farr for the federal bench in North Carolina.
Flake voted no. As did all 49 Democrats. That produced a 50-50 tie a on a procedural vote for Farr’s nomination, broken by Vice President Mike Pence.
Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott voted aye on the procedural vote, but announced he would oppose Farr for confirmation. That meant there were only 49 yeas for Farr and 51 nays.
That’s the reaction.
And then, the consequences.
Unless Flake relents, President Trump’s judicial nominees are stalled until the new Congress starts in January.
With the Speaker’s Lobby, Chad Pergram. Fox News
