Power-sharing: The Democrats have won the Senate. This is why they are not yet in charge

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The stalemate has prevented Democrats from taking control of the main committees as the chamber operates under the rules of the last Congress, when the GOP was in charge, prompting the consideration of Attorney General Merrick Garland, who was expectation to receive bipartisan support has been delayed.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Monday rejected a Democratic request to schedule Garland’s confirmation hearing on Feb. 8, arguing that the senate should focus on the impeachment process against former President Donald Trump, which will start the next day.

The South Carolina Republican said in a letter that a “one-day hearing” was “insufficient,” noting that previous attorney general nominees received two-day hearings.

“If Senate attention is required to consider whether a former president is re-elected, other matters must stop,” Graham wrote. “Continuing to confirm an attorney general and oust a former president at the same time would give neither of them the required attention.”

Until Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reach an agreement, Graham will continue to set the panel’s schedule in place of Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. The party leaders could make a deal on Tuesday; Graham said he suspected he would be chairman of the judiciary for “another day or two”.

Negotiations were put on hold for more than a week due to a disagreement over whether or not Democrats should promise in writing that they wouldn’t blow up the filibuster. McConnell said he was done holding that trial after the moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona said they had no plans to vote to eliminate the filibuster any time soon.

McConnell declined to comment on the topic on Tuesday. Durbin said party leaders are negotiating a final few points before finalizing the power-sharing deal that will officially allow Democrats to take over their chairmanship of key senate committees. Democrats will have a majority in the 50-50 Senate because Vice President Kamala Harris has the power to break the votes in the chamber.

Durbin blamed McConnell for the delay, saying he has “several options” for scheduling Garland’s hearing. He declined to provide details.

“I don’t like it,” he said. “I think February 8 is the best and fairest way to do it.”

“I’m sorry to say that Judge Merrick Garland, who is a great man, is retiring the US Senate trophy for bad conduct,” he added, referring to how Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court was ignored by the majority. of the GOP Senate. in 2016.

Some Senate Republicans have indicated they would vote to confirm Garland, including McConnell, according to The New York Times.

Texas Senator John Cornyn, a Republican on the Judicial Committee, said on Tuesday that he is inclined to vote for Garland. He said he would support an “early” committee hearing and “encourage” Graham to plan one.

“I would support an early format for Merrick Garland,” said Cornyn. “I think he’s not political, and that’s my main criterion for the next attorney general.”

Graham said he liked Garland too.

“I will probably vote for him,” said the senator.

This story was updated with additional developments on Tuesday.

CNN’s Chandelis Duster and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.

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