WASHINGTON, DC — NBC News congressional reporter Julie Tsirkin reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) earlier today said:
"100% of my focus is on stopping this new administration... 100% of my focus is on standing up to this administration." - May 5, 2021
The quote is disturbingly similar to an infamous quote from Senator McConnell in 2010:
"The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” - October 23, 2010
The comments are a reminder that, just like during the Obama administration, Senator McConnell and his reliance on the ‘Jim Crow filibuster’ stands in the way of essential legislative priorities, such as the voting rights and democracy reforms included in the For the People Act.
Eli Zupnick, spokesperson for Fix Our Senate, issued the following statement:
"Sen. Mitch McConnell isn’t lying when he says that his top priority is blocking President Biden and Democrats’ efforts to make our government work for the American people.
Just like in 2010 during the Obama administration, the ‘Jim Crow filibuster’ is Senator McConnell’s favorite tool of obstruction, and he’s already promising to use it to block progress on critical civil and voting rights bills, like the For the People Act, and other popular priorities that are long overdue for enactment.
Democratic Senators should keep these comments in mind when trying to find 10 Republican votes for popular, important policy priorities. The clock is ticking for Democrats to choose between protecting the filibuster or delivering on critical and popular priorities. They won’t be able to do both.”