WebYet today few are surprised that the speaker, the great-grandson of an Irish Catholic immigrant from County Cork and the first Republican in his family, reportedly attends Mitch McConnells reelection campaign hires Covington Catholic According to The New York Times, Obama's final two years as president saw 18 district court judges and one appeals court judge confirmed, the fewest since President Harry S. Truman. [13] He was president of the Student Council of the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. "[56], In 2012, McConnell proposed a measure allowing President Obama to raise the debt ceiling, hoping some Democratic senators would oppose the measure, thus demonstrating disunity among Democrats. The best rating since that time was in the fourth quarter of 2018, when he had a 38% positive rating and a 47% negative rating among Kentuckians. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. [Melinda Henneberger is a columnist and editorial writer for the Kansas City Star and writes a monthly column for USA Today. Members of Congress: Religious Affiliations | Pew Research Center [19][26][27], In October 1974, McConnell returned to Washington to fill a position as Deputy Assistant Attorney General under President Gerald Ford, where he worked alongside Robert Bork, Laurence Silberman, and Antonin Scalia. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I always ask groups when I talk to them, does anybody even think Mitch McConnell has a plan [on how to respond to COVID-19]? They knew each other in high school, but they were just friends. As for higher taxes? (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main I understand that it is a touchy thing. After a report came out of Democrats' investigating a second allegation against Kavanaugh, McConnell said, "I want to make it perfectly clear. During his early childhood, McConnell was afflicted with, but eventually overcame, polio. Mitch McConnell | Biography & Facts | Britannica (Photo: Michael Brochstein/Echoes But at What Cost? Mom actually did the convent for I think about a week. That on immigration, we treat everybody with dignity and respect. He has said his time with Cooper inspired him to run for the Senate later in life. [222] His personal wealth was increased after receiving a 2008 personal gift to him and his wife, given by his father-in-law James S. C. Chao after the death of McConnell's mother-in-law, whose value has been estimated to be $525million. Learn more. My mother has always been someone who was going against the grain, particularly as a woman. [71], In October 2017, White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon and other Trump allies blamed McConnell for stalling the Trump administration's legislation. "[82] Trump has continued to attack McConnell in personal terms since then, but McConnell has not responded publicly. [53] In April 2017, Senate Republicans led by McConnell eliminated the filibuster for Supreme Court nominations in order to end debate on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch. Where's the balance? Mitch McConnell [159], After the passage of the CARES Act, McConnell waited several months before advancing any additional COVID-19 relief measures in the Senate, saying in May "I don't think we have yet felt the urgency of acting immediately," and that Congress should "[hit] pause" to evaluate how the allocated funds were working before approving more. How Republicans Have Packed the Courts for Years | Time How has the push to fill Justice Ginsburg's seat changed your race? [139][140], In July 2018, McConnell said funding for the MexicoUnited States border wall would likely have to wait until the midterms had concluded. [142], From December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, the federal government was shut down when Congress refused to give in to Trump's demand for $5.7billion in federal funds for a U.S.Mexico border wall. A Republican, he served as majority whip (200307), minority leader (200715; 2021 ), and majority leader (201521). Mitch McConnell [12], In 1956, his family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended duPont Manual High School. We have reasonable restrictions on abortion as outlined in Roe v. Wade. But those who are conservative on social issues and liberal on economic issues, what we might call Pope Francis voters, constituted 28.9% of the 2016 electorate. [73][74][75] In his public statements, McConnell did not repeat any of Trump's false claims of voter fraud, but did not contradict them, ignoring questions about evidence and instead arguing that Trump had the right to challenge the results. McConnell claimed that because it was an election year, the vacancy should remain open until a new president was inaugurated. Will Mitch McConnell make the Democrats win? - National Enough of themvoted for Bidento put him in the White House. A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll in May showed that two-thirds of voterssupport raising taxeson those making more than $400,000. [101], McConnell also said that Trump remains subject to the country's criminal and civil laws, stating, "He didn't get away with anything yet." It's hard. We are 31.8% of the way to our goal! [86][87] He also declared that there was "no chance" the Senate would convict Trump and remove him from office. Economic issues matter most to a lot of people who are not very powerful, blue collar workers and the poor, people left out of the neo-liberal economic success story that has been the dominant socio-cultural reality since the Reagan years. [148] Privately, other Republican senators pressured McConnell to stop blocking appropriations legislation. Dad loved the Franciscans. In February the Senate easily acquitted the president. [81], On April 10, 2021, Trump called McConnell a "dumb son of a bitch". [96] Once the Senate trial started, McConnell voted to acquit Trump on February 13, 2021, and said it was unconstitutional to convict someone who was no longer in office.[97]. [102], On May 28, 2021, McConnell voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack. In response, McConnell cited the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to show that the Senate was supportive of Trump's agenda. We need to look at lots of different issues pertaining to life: health care, tackling poverty, making sure that we have jobs and labor laws. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. In September 2019 the U.S. House of Representatives launched an impeachment inquiry against Trump following allegations that he had extorted a foreign country to investigate Joe Biden, his political rival (in 2020 Biden became the Democratic presidential nominee). [But] the Supreme Court isn't just about one issue. In 2016 McConnell caused controversy when he refused to bring Obamas Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, to a vote in the Senate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. He took vacation when we needed more aid. [111], In 2014, Republicans gained control of the Senate, and McConnell became majority leader; he used his newly heightened power to start what was considered "a near blockade of Obama's judicial appointments." Before the Affordable Care Act, there was not a single insurer in Kentucky that would cover maternity care! Naval Academy, where she later taught in the political science department, and has a master's degree in global security from Johns Hopkins University. [220] McConnell is on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. [7] He is of Scots-Irish and English descent. Gerald R. Ford (197475) and as judge/executive (chief judge) of Jefferson county, Kentucky (197885). WebMcConnell had the Senate continue to confirm judges even after Trumps defeat in 2020, vowing hed leave no vacancy behind. Not since 1897 had the Senate confirmed a WebSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks during the Republican Senate Caucus press conference on January 7, 2019. [151] This was the longest government shutdown in American history.[18][152]. Nihilist [83][84], On November 5, 2019, as the House of Representatives began public hearings on the impeachment of President Trump, McConnell said, "I'm pretty sure how [an impeachment trial is] likely to end. It does. He also said he would not allow other Republicans to obstruct the budget-making process. In May 2016, after Trump suggested that federal judge Gonzalo P. Curiel was biased against Trump because of his Mexican heritage, McConnell responded, "I don't agree with what he (Trump) had to say. I'm extremely worried. Following the 2008 election of Pres. Her Catholic faith was an important grounding during tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, she said. [86], On February 13, 2016, Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia died. [235][236][237], In 2015 and 2019, Time listed McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. As you would expect, voters who are conservative on both social and economic issues constitute the base of the GOP, and voters who are liberal on both social and economic issues constitute the Democratic Party base. [114] Shortly thereafter, McConnell issued a statement indicating that the U.S. Senate would not consider any Supreme Court nominee put forth by Obama. [194] The 60.2% won by McConnell was the lowest voter support for a Kentucky U.S. senator in a primary since 1938. [17][21] According to one of his biographers, McConnell transformed "from a moderate Republican who supported abortion rights and public employee unions to the embodiment of partisan obstructionism and conservative orthodoxy on Capitol Hill. [172] At that time he was briefly not the least popular Senator, and was surpassed by Senators Claire McCaskill and Jeff Flake. By that time, nearly half of all votes to invoke cloture in the history of the Senate had occurred during Obama's presidency. [103], McConnell's relationship with the Biden administration has been portrayed in media as one of comity. "[89][90], After Trump's acquittal, McConnell was noted for his ability to block witnesses, to secure Trump's acquittal, and to maintain party unity during the impeachment process. It's hard for me. [115] On March 16, 2016, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland, a Judge of the D.C. [2] During the 1998 and 2000 election cycles, he was chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. [158], Speaking on the Hugh Hewitt radio show on April 22, 2020, McConnell suggested that states should be able to declare bankruptcy instead of receiving additional COVID-19 aid funds funds which he implied would be used to save insolvent state pension funds, instead of COVID-19 relief as intended. She became a medical doctor. WebAddison Mitchell McConnell III (born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and retired attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, a seat he has held She was very smart, and ended up being one of the first women to graduate from the University of Kentucky Medical School. The majority leader also backed various policies supported by the president, perhaps most notably a massive tax-reform bill that was passed in 2017. The church was chosen because it was close enough for JFKs widow, Jackie, to walk to it in the procession with his coffin, according to the National Catholic Reporter. Clive Crook. The 2020 election was held in November amid this health crisis, and Biden defeated Trump; the fate of the Senate remained uncertain as both of Georgias senatorial races moved to runoffs. [28] [29], In 1977, McConnell was elected the Jefferson County judge/executive, the top political office in Jefferson County, Kentucky, at the time, defeating incumbent Democrat Todd Hollenbach, III, 53% to 47%. Look at what he's done. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, What the data says about Americans views of climate change, Podcasts as a Source of News and Information, AI in Hiring and Evaluating Workers: What Americans Think, Americans confident in Zelenskyy, but have limited familiarity with some other world leaders, How Public Polling Has Changed in the 21st Century. Biden has described McConnell as "a friend, colleague and 'man of his word.'"