2 Dems to vote for Trump's court nominee; Schumer urges 'no'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Democrats facing tough re-elections in GOP states said Thursday they will vote for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, even as the Senate Democratic leader strongly warned Republicans against changing Senate rules to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York had tough words for his Republican counterpart, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, in an interview with The Associated Press.

Schumer conducted back-to-back interviews with several major news outlets Thursday to argue that it will be the fault of Republicans, not Democrats, if the rules change happens.

Heitkamp said she expects Gorsuch to follow through on his promise of an independent judiciary that "acts as a proper check and balance on the other two branches of government."

In the recording, which the Missouri Republican Party gave to the newspaper, McCaskill says the decision is difficult because if the filibuster is eliminated, Trump could nominate another justice without having to compromise with Democrats, and "all of a sudden, the things I fought for with scars on my back to show for it in this state are in jeopardy."

Schumer pointed to the treatment last year of Merrick Garland, Obama's Supreme Court nominee, who never even got a hearing as McConnell led a Republican blockade.