Friend,

Today I shared with the people of Alabama that I will not support the confirmation of any Supreme Court Justice nominee, regardless of who it might be, before the outcome of the November 3rd election has been determined.

I wanted to share some excerpts of my comments:

“I have heard from thousands of Alabamians in the wake of Justice Ginsburg’s death. For so many, she was a role model and an inspiration. She was a brilliant and tireless advocate, a champion for fairness and equality, and her efforts have brought our country closer to the ideals on which it was founded.

It is a poor reflection on the state of our national politics that just hours after her passing we were thrust into a divisive partisan fight over her successor, denying the nation the time to mourn this extraordinary American’s death and to fully celebrate her exceptional life and legacy.

But, here we are – where a vacancy on the Supreme Court has occurred just 50 days from a national election, where hundreds of thousands of Americans have already cast their votes – confronting a blatant political power grab by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the President that will undermine the Court and subvert the will of the American people.

The Framers created the Senate as the body of Congress where cooler heads would prevail. Where concern for the nation and the institution of the Senate kept in check the occasional power mongers who sought advancement of their own agenda.

I have tried in the last 3 years to do my part – I have voted with Senator Shelby as often as I have voted with Senator Schumer and have had 21 bipartisan bills passed and signed into law by President Trump.

…there are already enough committed Republicans to confirm President Trump’s nominee regardless of who it is going to be. My vote therefore will not affect the outcome of this process. That does not mean, however, that my vote is inconsequential.

My vote, under these circumstances, will demonstrate that I will not be a party to the further erosion of the institution of the Senate, and I will not be a party to denying the people a voice...

I feel a special responsibility in the seat in which I serve. Not just because it was once Senator Heflin's. But because I understand that the decision of the people of Alabama to send me to Washington in 2017 kept the Affordable Care Act alive. It prevented health care coverage from being taken away from those with pre-existing conditions.

This new effort by Senator McConnell will be a tear in the fabric of our government that may be irreparable. Once this line is crossed, the American people may have no procedural protections left to defend themselves from bad policy and bad leaders from both sides of the aisle in the future.

If President Trump is re-elected, I will evaluate any pending or future nominee on their merits and vote for or against the nomination based on that nominee’s qualifications.

You sent me here to be that independent voice for Alabama. To stand up for the rule of law and regular order in the face of the growing hyper partisanship of Washington. And it is with that knowledge in mind that I have approached this Supreme Court vacancy.”

You can watch my full remarks here.

Together,
Doug Jones

 


 





 









 
This message was sent to: [email protected].

Contributions or gifts to Doug Jones for Senate Committee are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

An individual or non-multicandidate federal PAC may contribute a maximum of $2,800 per election. A multi-candidate Federal PAC may contribute a maximum of $5,000 per election. The 2020 Primary and 2020 General elections are separate elections. Contributions from corporations, labor organization treasury funds, foreign nationals, and federal government contractors are prohibited. Contributions must be made from the contributor’s own funds, not those of another and contributors may not be reimbursed by any other person or entity.

Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle.

We believe that emails are a crucial way for our campaign to stay in touch with supporters like you. However, if you’d prefer to receive fewer emails, you can click here. If you would like to unsubscribe, click here. Thanks for your support!