Press release

Ten Million Unemployed, But McConnell Says No More Economic Rescue For Working Americans…But Wants Many More Unqualified Right-Wing Judges to Take Their Healthcare Away

Fix Our Senate
4.2.2020

Washington, D.C. —  As the American economy teeters and ten million Americans are out of work due to the coronavirus crisis, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is closing the door to additional economic rescue — but he’s publicly admitting he can’t wait to start confirming even more unqualified, right-wing judges.

That’s right: McConnell said yesterday that Congress should “stand down” from more coronavirus rescue legislation, which he called “fantasizing” and “premature” — but when asked if his push to confirm right-wing judges to lifetime appointments will pause due to the pandemic, he responded “not at all.”

Just to be clear about the situation McConnell is turning his back on:

  • Frontline healthcare workers are crying out for help all across the country.
  • Senators personally seeking to profit off of the pandemic using their insider knowledge of the crisis.
  • DHS says our national stockpile of respirator masks, gloves and other medical supplies is running low and is nearly exhausted due to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving the Trump administration, private sector, and the states to compete for personal protective equipment.
  • The economy is in unprecedented peril with 10 million unemployment claims in the last two weeks — not to mention what those 10 million people and their families are doing about healthcare.

But all McConnell’s focus is where it always is, advancing his culture of corruption in the U.S. Senate. That’s why he’s hell bent on confirming more extremist judges — who will advance a reckless partisan ideology to help special interests get richer, overturn the Affordable Care Act, even more worker protections, and give special interests and corporations a blank check.

"McConnell has broken the Senate with a culture of corruption in which partisan benefit and personal profit are the only objectives. That’s why he’s making abundantly clear that his only true concern during this national crisis is lining the pockets of special interests and the appointment of more right-wing, unqualified judges,” said Joshua Karp of Fix Our Senate. “Americans across the country are scared — they need leadership. McConnell is giving them nothing but assurances he doesn’t care about them, only his own partisan goals.”

➡ Demand Mitch McConnell stop obstructing bills that will help the American people, defend our democracy, and demand an end to the gridlock in the U.S. Senate at www.fixoursenate.org.