Senate

Conservative group targets Democrats for blocking judicial nominees in million dollar ad buy

The conservative organization Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) is launching a million dollar ad campaign targeting top Democrats over stalling President Trump’s judicial nominees.

The advertisement is set to run on CNN, Fox News and some airport television channels where senators returning from recess may see it. In the ad, JCN accuses Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) of trying to “keep liberal judges in control.”

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“They’re obstructing, playing games instead of voting on nominees,” the ad goes on.

Carrie Severino, JCN chief counsel and policy director, said in a statement that the group is dedicated to ending “Democratic obstruction.”

“President Trump and Senate Republicans have confirmed a record number of exceptionally qualified judges who will follow the law and uphold the Constitution. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), want to stop that progress so that liberal extremists can maintain control of our court,” Severino wrote. “Confirming President Trump’s extraordinary nominees is a top priority for JCN, and we are committed to doing whatever necessary to end the Democratic obstruction.”

The group has spent millions in recent Supreme Court seat battles, including buying ads supporting Trump’s nominee, Justice Neil Gorsuch, last year.

The bullish ad buy comes despite the Trump administration being on pace to have more appeals court nominees approved in the first two years of his tenure than any other recent president.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that confirming the president’s nominees in the upper chamber was his “top priority.”

“We’re going to continue to confirm judges all year. The Congress doesn’t stop with the elections. It goes until the end of the year. … I’m processing them as quickly as they come out of the Judiciary Committee,” he said.