Reacting To Filibuster Vote, Corker Says “Really Bad Day” For Senate

“As one of the folks who’s taken so many of the tough votes necessary to cause this place to function, I could not be more disappointed,” Corker told reporters after the vote. (Image via Corker’s site)

Tennessee Republican Bob Corker says Thursday was a “really bad day for the Senate.” Democrats narrowly voted to take away the GOP’s power to block judicial nominations with a filibuster.

What’s called the “nuclear option” arose after Republicans vowed to stop the president from filling vacancies on a highly influential appeals court.  Corker has sometimes butted heads over his own party’s tactics, but yesterday he accused Democrats of a pattern of going around Congress.

“At some point you have to just throw up your hands and say, look, they’re going to use brute, raw force to get what they wish.  Let’s face it.  This is about the DC Circuit.  That’s the place where all regulatory issues are dealt with.”

Corker’s fellow Tennessee Senator, Lamar Alexander called the rule-change the most important and most dangerous in the Senate since its creation.