JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is moving to head off a public fight with conservative outside groups that have become increasingly frustrated over the Senate’s sluggish pace in confirming President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees.
The influential Judicial Crisis Network had planned on launching a $250,000 ad buy in Washington on Tuesday [10-10-17] calling on McConnell to either change the Senate rules to jam through new judges or keep the chamber in session until Democrats relent out of fatigue, according to sources familiar with the plans.
But before the ad campaign could begin, McConnell’s aides contacted the conservative advocacy group — a major ally for Senate Republicans on court battles — to defuse what could have beeen a public intraparty confrontation over judicial confirmations.”
-Seung Min Kim and Burgess Everett, “McConnell tries to defuse conservative anger over stalled judicial nominations,” Politico, Oct. 9, 2017 11:44pm