Senate panel approves Trump court pick, but battle rages

WASHINGTON: A US Senate panel advanced President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick Monday, setting up days of contentious debate, but opposition Democrats forced a historic showdown by securing enough votes to block the nomination.

The Senate Judiciary Committee successfully reported the nomination of Neil Gorsuch, a federal appellate judge, on an 11-9 vote along strict party lines.

The nomination now heads to the Senate floor for a crucial test vote this week: a procedural step that requires 60 votes to end debate in the 100-member chamber.

But Democrats are likely to prevent Gorsuch from passing that threshold, as 41 senators are now expected to join the so-called filibuster against advancing Gorsuch's nomination.

"I cannot and will not support advancing this nomination," Senator Patrick Leahy told the committee.

Republicans hold 52 seats, so they need eight Democrats to back Gorsuch, named by Trump to fill the seat of conservative justice Antonin Scalia who died in February 2016.

To date, just four Democrats -- moderates from states won by Trump in last year's election -- have announced their support.

Should Democrats block Gorsuch, it will be the first time in the nation's history that a filibuster has succeeded against a nominee to the Supreme Court, whose justices are appointed for life terms.

Trump's Republicans have threatened to respond by deploying a maneuver known as "the nuclear option" -- altering longstanding Senate rules in order to advance a Supreme Court nominee by simple majority.

"Judge Gorsuch is going to be confirmed. The way in which that occurs is in the hands of the Democratic minority," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Fox News Sunday.

"And I think during the course of the week, we'll find out exactly how this will end," McConnell added. "But it will end with his confirmation."

Democrats are still steaming over the treatment of Merrick Garland, then-president Barack Obama's pick to replace Scalia.

McConnell refused to hold votes on Garland for most of last year. When Trump won the election, Garland's nomination died.

"I haven't forgotten the injustice done to Judge Merrick Garland, and neither have any of my colleagues," Democratic Senator Chris Coons told the committee, as he became the all-important 41st senator to join the filibuster.

But Coons warned against changing Senate rules, and said he remained open to a compromise.

"The traditions and principles that have defined the Senate are crumbling, and we are poised to hasten that destruction this week," he rued.

Just as changing the rules would currently aid Trump, Republicans have warned about a boomerang effect -- Democrats ramming through liberal justices once the GOP loses the White House.

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer has called on Republicans not to change the rules, but for Trump to replace Gorsuch with a consensus nominee.

"We're not going to change the nominee," said Senate Republican Lindsey Graham.

"If we have to we will change the rules, and it looks like we're going to have to."