Mitch McConnell Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==U.S. Senate (1985–present)== [[File:C39838-5.jpg|thumb|President [[Ronald Reagan]] in a meeting with McConnell in the Oval Office, March 1987]] [[File:Bush Contact Sheet P19344 (cropped).jpg|thumb|President [[George H. W. Bush]] with McConnell and [[Elaine Chao]] in February 1991]] [[File:Senator Mitch McConnell in 1992.jpg|thumb|Mitch McConnell in 1992]] [[File:President George W. Bush and Senator Mitch McConnell shake hands (cropped).jpg|thumb|President [[George W. Bush]] shakes hands with McConnell at Bush's first inauguration, January 2001.]] In his early years as a politician in Kentucky, McConnell was known as a pragmatist and a moderate Republican.<ref name="Stretch" /><ref name="MacGillis"/> Over time he shifted to the right and became more conservative.<ref name="Stretch" /><ref name="MacGillis"/> 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."<ref name="MacGillis"/> McConnell has widely been described as an obstructionist.<ref>Multiple sources: * {{cite news|last1=Zengerle|first1=Jason|date=November 2013|title=Get Mitch|work=[[Politico]]|url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/11/get-mitch-mcconnell-99376.html|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025152301/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/11/get-mitch-mcconnell-99376.html|archive-date=October 25, 2014}} * {{cite web|last1=Wood|first1=B. Dan|last2=Jorden|first2=Soren|date=2017|title=Party polarization america war over two social contracts|url=https://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/american-government-politics-and-policy/party-polarization-america-war-over-two-social-contracts?format=HB|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006203618/https://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/american-government-politics-and-policy/party-polarization-america-war-over-two-social-contracts?format=HB|archive-date=October 6, 2018|access-date=March 14, 2019|website=Cambridge University Press}} * {{cite news|last1=Isquith|first1=Elias|date=September 23, 2013|title=The disappearing Mitch McConnell|work=[[Salon.com|Salon]]|url=http://www.salon.com/2013/09/23/the_disappearing_mitch_mcconnell/|url-status=live|access-date=August 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821045523/http://www.salon.com/2013/09/23/the_disappearing_mitch_mcconnell/|archive-date=August 21, 2014}} * {{Cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Marc|last2=Sullivan|first2=Sean|date=June 30, 2017|title=Mitch McConnell, America's No. 1 obstructionist, is trying to make big things happen|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/mitch-mcconnell-americas-no-1-obstructionist-is-now-trying-to-make-big-things-happen/2017/06/29/93071b3e-5c35-11e7-9fc6-c7ef4bc58d13_story.html|url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103044135/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/mitch-mcconnell-americas-no-1-obstructionist-is-now-trying-to-make-big-things-happen/2017/06/29/93071b3e-5c35-11e7-9fc6-c7ef4bc58d13_story.html|archive-date=November 3, 2020|issn=0190-8286}} * {{cite news|title=Let's just say it: The Republicans are the problem.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lets-just-say-it-the-republicans-are-the-problem/2012/04/27/gIQAxCVUlT_story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006195220/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lets-just-say-it-the-republicans-are-the-problem/2012/04/27/gIQAxCVUlT_story.html|archive-date=October 6, 2018|access-date=October 6, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}} * {{Cite book|last1=Mann|first1=Thomas|url=https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/thomas-e-mann/its-even-worse-than-it-looks/9780465096206/|title=It's Even Worse Than It Looks|last2=Ornstein|first2=Norman|publisher=Basic Books|year=2016|isbn=9780465096206|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006235446/https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/thomas-e-mann/its-even-worse-than-it-looks/9780465096206/|archive-date=October 6, 2018|url-status=live}} * {{Cite book|last1=Page|first1=Benjamin|url=https://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo27316263.html|title=Democracy in America?|last2=Gilens|first2=Martin|publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=2018|page=158|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913114801/https://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo27316263.html|archive-date=September 13, 2018|url-status=live}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Skocpol|first1=Theda|last2=Jacobs|first2=Lawrence R.|date=2012|title=Accomplished and Embattled: Understanding Obama's Presidency|journal=Political Science Quarterly|language=en|volume=127|issue=1|pages=1–24|doi=10.1002/j.1538-165x.2012.tb00718.x|issn=0032-3195}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Slotnick|first1=Elliot|last2=Schiavoni|first2=Sara|last3=Goldman|first3=Sheldon|date=2017|title=Obama's Judicial Legacy: The Final Chapter|journal=Journal of Law and Courts|language=en|volume=5|issue=2|pages=363–422|doi=10.1086/693347|issn=2164-6570|quote=the major responsibility for the obstruction and delay of Obama judges in the 114th Congress falls to Majority Leader McConnell and the allied leadership in the Republican Senate caucus|s2cid=158940942}} * {{Cite book|last1=Hetherington|first1=Marc J.|url=http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190274801.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190274801-e-15|title=Political Trust and Polarization|last2=Rudolph|first2=Thomas J.|date=2018|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780190274801|volume=1|doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190274801.001.0001|access-date=October 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008061423/http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190274801.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190274801-e-15|archive-date=October 8, 2018|url-status=live}} * {{Cite news|last=Wolf|first=Zachary B.|date=August 6, 2019|title=Mitch McConnell's obstruction in the spotlight following massacres|work=[[CNN]]|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/06/politics/mitch-mcconnell-gun-control/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110033916/https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/06/politics/mitch-mcconnell-gun-control/index.html|archive-date=November 10, 2020}} * {{Cite news|last=Kane|first=Paul|date=February 18, 2017|title=As the Gorsuch nomination proceeds, this man is taking credit: Mitch McConnell|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/as-the-gorsuch-nomination-proceeds-this-man-is-taking-credit-mitch-mcconnell/2017/02/18/a9d66a46-f5eb-11e6-b9c9-e83fce42fb61_story.html|url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005222950/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/as-the-gorsuch-nomination-proceeds-this-man-is-taking-credit-mitch-mcconnell/2017/02/18/a9d66a46-f5eb-11e6-b9c9-e83fce42fb61_story.html|archive-date=October 5, 2020|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> From 1997 to 2001, McConnell was chairman of the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]], the body charged with securing electoral victories for Republicans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Campaign_Committee_Chair.htm|title=Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairs|website=United States Senate|access-date=January 8, 2019|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109034057/https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Campaign_Committee_Chair.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/legislativelabyr00dian/page/35|title=Legislative labyrinth|last1=Dwyre|first1=Diana|last2=Farrar-Myers|first2=Victoria A.|publisher=CQ Press|year=2001|isbn=978-1568025681|location=Washington, D.C.|page=[https://archive.org/details/legislativelabyr00dian/page/35 35]}}</ref> On February 12, 1999, he was one of fifty senators to vote to [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|convict and remove Bill Clinton from office]].<ref>{{cite news|date=February 12, 1999|title=Roll Call of Votes on Articles of Impeachment|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/politics/021399ap-rollcall-vote.html|url-status=live|access-date=December 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106164903/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/politics/021399ap-rollcall-vote.html|archive-date=January 6, 2020}}</ref> He was first elected as [[Majority Whip]] in the [[108th Congress]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-becomes-longest-serving-republican-leader-in-history-of-senate/|title=Mitch McConnell becomes longest-serving Republican leader in history of Senate|author=Tillett, Emily|website=cbsnews.com|date=June 12, 2018|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804015232/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-becomes-longest-serving-republican-leader-in-history-of-senate/|url-status=live}}</ref> Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]] did not seek re-election in the [[2006 United States Senate elections|2006 elections]]. In November, after Republicans lost control of the Senate, they elected McConnell as the minority leader.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6498333|title=McConnell Is Senate's New Top Republican|website=NPR.org|date=November 16, 2006|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804231528/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6498333|url-status=live}}</ref> After Republicans took control of the Senate following the [[2014 United States Senate elections|2014 Senate elections]], McConnell became the [[Senate Majority Leader]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/06/mitch-mcconnell-senate-majority-leader/21336659/|title=McConnell takes the reins as Senate majority leader|author=Carroll, James R.|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804030729/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/06/mitch-mcconnell-senate-majority-leader/21336659/|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2018 he became the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in the history of the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/12/politics/mitch-mcconnell-longest-serving-gop-senate-leader/index.html|title=Mitch McConnell makes Senate history as longest-serving Republican leader|first=Ted|last=Barrett|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=June 12, 2018|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820014510/https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/12/politics/mitch-mcconnell-longest-serving-gop-senate-leader/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell is the second Kentuckian to serve as a party leader in the Senate (after [[Alben W. Barkley]] led the Democrats from 1937 to 1949)<ref name="SenBio" /> and is the longest-serving U.S. senator from Kentucky in history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.laruecountyherald.com/content/mcconnell-becomes-longest-serving-senator-kentucky |title=McConnell becomes longest-serving senator from Kentucky |publisher=LaRue County (Kentucky) Herald Tribune |date=January 14, 2009 |access-date=February 13, 2011 |archive-date=March 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130302223550/http://www.laruecountyherald.com/content/mcconnell-becomes-longest-serving-senator-kentucky |url-status=live }}</ref> McConnell has a reputation as a skilled political strategist and tactician.<ref name="Costa"/><ref name="Green">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/01/strict-obstructionist/308344/|title=Strict Obstructionist|first=Joshua|last=Green|work=[[The Atlantic]]|access-date=August 2, 2018|date=January 4, 2011|archive-date=July 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719180244/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/01/strict-obstructionist/308344/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21629419-mitch-mcconnell-may-soon-be-one-most-powerful-people-america-new-master|title=The new master of the Senate?|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|date=October 30, 2014|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=March 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301230626/https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21629419-mitch-mcconnell-may-soon-be-one-most-powerful-people-america-new-master|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://hbr.org/2017/02/if-democrats-want-to-challenge-trump-they-need-a-new-strategy|title=If Democrats Want to Challenge Trump, They Need a New Strategy|date=February 23, 2017|author=Mukunda, Gautam|work=Harvard Business Review|access-date=October 7, 2018|archive-date=October 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007223229/https://hbr.org/2017/02/if-democrats-want-to-challenge-trump-they-need-a-new-strategy|url-status=live}}</ref> This reputation dimmed after Republicans failed to repeal the [[Affordable Care Act]] (Obamacare) in 2017 during consolidated Republican control of government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-health-care-repeal.html|title=McConnell's Reputation as a Master Tactician Takes a Hit|last=Steinhauer|first=Jennifer|date=June 27, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 28, 2017|archive-date=June 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628005742/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-health-care-repeal.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-mcconnell-analysis-idUSKBN1A32BL|title=Mitch McConnell: 'The man in the middle' of U.S. healthcare war|author=Cowan, Richard|date=July 18, 2017|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=January 9, 2019|language=en|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109205101/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-mcconnell-analysis-idUSKBN1A32BL|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/28/myth-mitch-mcconnell-genius-master-senate-215656|title=The Myth of Mitch McConnell, Political Super-Genius|last=Jentleson|first=Adam|website=[[Politico]] Magazine|language=en|date=September 28, 2017|access-date=January 9, 2019|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109205202/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/28/myth-mitch-mcconnell-genius-master-senate-215656|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/trump-mitch-mcconnell/536370/|title=Mitch McConnell, Under Siege|last=Berman|first=Russell|date=August 9, 2017|website=[[The Atlantic]]|language=en-US|access-date=January 9, 2019|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109205441/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/trump-mitch-mcconnell/536370/|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell regularly obtained [[Earmark (politics)|earmarks]] for businesses and institutions in Kentucky, until the practice was banned by Congress in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Politico]]|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/mitch-mcconnell-earmark-spending-104503|title=McConnell slammed for earmarks|author=Bresnahan, John|date=March 10, 2014|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921125322/https://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/mitch-mcconnell-earmark-spending-104503|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell has received criticism for funding "temporary patches" to Kentucky's long-term healthcare problems, while simultaneously opposing and obstructing national programs that seek to improve healthcare more systematically, such as [[Obamacare]] and [[Medicaid#Expansion under the Affordable Care Act|Medicaid expansion]].<ref name="Cherkis"/> ===Relationships with presidential administrations=== ====Obama==== As the leading Republican senator, McConnell confronted and pressured other Republican senators who were willing to negotiate with Democrats and the Obama administration.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://global.oup.com/academic/product/health-care-reform-and-american-politics-9780190262044?cc=is&lang=en&|title=Health Care Reform and American Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know|last1=Jacobs|first1=Lawrence|last2=Skocpol|first2=Theda|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780190262044|edition=Third|location=Oxford, New York|pages=85–86, 195|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=June 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628005402/https://global.oup.com/academic/product/health-care-reform-and-american-politics-9780190262044?cc=is&lang=en&|url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[Purdue University]] political scientist Bert A. Rockman, "pure party line voting has been evident now for some time ... but rarely has the tactic of 'oppositionism' been so boldly stated as McConnell did."<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rockman|first=Bert A. |date=October 10, 2012|title=The Obama Presidency: Hope, Change, and Reality|journal=Social Science Quarterly |volume=93|issue=5 |pages=1065–1080 |doi=10.1111/j.1540-6237.2012.00921.x |issn=0038-4941}}</ref> According to [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]] legal scholar [[Sanford Levinson]], McConnell learned that obstruction and Republican unity were the optimal ways to ensure Republican gains in upcoming elections after he observed how Democratic cooperation with the Bush administration on [[No Child Left Behind Act|No Child Left Behind]] and [[Medicare Part D]] helped Bush's [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 re-election]].<ref name="Levinson-2012">{{Cite book|url=https://global.oup.com/academic/product/framed-9780199890750?cc=us&lang=en&|title=Framed: America's 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance|last=Levinson|first=Sanford|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2012|isbn=9780199890750|location=Oxford, New York|page=234|access-date=October 8, 2018|archive-date=October 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010131533/https://global.oup.com/academic/product/framed-9780199890750?cc=us&lang=en&|url-status=live}}</ref> Levinson noted, "McConnell altogether rationally ... concluded that Republicans have nothing to gain, as a political party, from collaborating in anything that the president could then claim as an achievement."<ref name="Levinson-2012" /> A number of political scientists, historians, and legal scholars have characterized McConnell's obstructionism and [[constitutional hardball]] as contributors to democratic erosion in the United States.<ref>Multiple sources: * {{Cite book|url=http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/American-Amnesia/Jacob-S-Hacker/9781451667837|title=American Amnesia|last1=Hacker|first1=Jacob|last2=Pierson|first2=Paul|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2017|isbn=9781451667837|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=November 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118185320/http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/American-Amnesia/Jacob-S-Hacker/9781451667837|url-status=live}} * {{Cite book|url=https://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo28381225.html|title=How to Save a Constitutional Democracy|last1=Ginsburg|first1=Tom|last2=Huq|first2=Aziz|publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=2019|page=126|access-date=December 13, 2018|archive-date=December 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215174114/https://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo28381225.html|url-status=live}} * {{Cite news|url=http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/10/25/suffocation-of-democracy|title=The Suffocation of Democracy|last=Browning|first=Christopher R.|work=The New York Review of Books|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=October 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005120644/https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/10/25/suffocation-of-democracy/|url-status=live}} * {{cite book|url=http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674046832|title=The Promise of Party in a Polarized Age|last=Muirhead|first=Russell|date=September 8, 2014 |publisher=Harvard University Press|page=254|isbn=9780674046832 |access-date=March 14, 2019|archive-date=October 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008151351/http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674046832|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Levitsky-2018" /><ref name="Mann-2017" /><ref name="Mounk-2018" /> In October 2010, McConnell said "the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president." Asked whether this meant "endless, or at least frequent, confrontation with the president", McConnell clarified that "if [Obama is] willing to meet us halfway on some of the biggest issues, it's not inappropriate for us to do business with him."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/when-did-mcconnell-say-he-wanted-to-make-obama-a-one-term-president/2012/09/24/79fd5cd8-0696-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_blog.html|title=When did McConnell say he wanted to make Obama a 'one-term president'?|author=Kessler, Glenn|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=September 25, 2012|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-date=August 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822191007/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/when-did-mcconnell-say-he-wanted-to-make-obama-a-one-term-president/2012/09/24/79fd5cd8-0696-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_blog.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to political scientists Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson, "Facing off against Obama, [McConnell] worked to deny even minimal Republican support for major presidential initiatives — initiatives that were, as a rule, in keeping with the moderate model of decades past, and often with moderate Republican stances of a few years past."<ref name="amnesia">{{Cite book|url=http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/American-Amnesia/Jacob-S-Hacker/9781451667837|title=American Amnesia|last1=Hacker|first1=Jacob|last2=Pierson|first2=Paul|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2017|isbn=9781451667837|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=November 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118185320/http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/American-Amnesia/Jacob-S-Hacker/9781451667837|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' noted early during Obama's administration that "on the major issues — not just health care, but financial regulation and the economic stimulus package, among others — Mr. McConnell has held Republican defections to somewhere between minimal and nonexistent, allowing him to slow the Democratic agenda if not defeat aspects of it."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/us/politics/17mcconnell.html|title=McConnell Strategy Shuns Bipartisanship|last=Nagourney|first=[[Carl Hulse]] and Adam|work=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 17, 2010 |access-date=October 5, 2018|language=en|archive-date=March 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330103528/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/us/politics/17mcconnell.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Republican caucus threatened repeatedly to force the United States to default on its debt, McConnell saying he had learned from the [[United States debt-ceiling crisis of 2011|2011 debt-ceiling crisis]] that "it's a hostage that's worth ransoming."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/605403/fault-lines-by-kevin-m-kruse/9780393088663|title=Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974|last1=Kruse|first1=Kevin|last2=Zelizer|first2=Julian|publisher=W.W. Norton|year=2019|access-date=January 14, 2019|archive-date=January 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210912/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/605403/fault-lines-by-kevin-m-kruse/9780393088663|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fishkin-2018">{{Cite news|url=https://columbialawreview.org/content/asymmetric-constitutional-hardball/|title=Asymmetric Constitutional Hardball|last1=Fishkin|first1=Joseph|date=2018|work=Columbia Law Review|last2=Pozen|first2=David E.|archive-date=January 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119095233/https://columbialawreview.org/content/asymmetric-constitutional-hardball/|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell worked to delay and obstruct [[Affordable Care Act|health care reform]] and [[Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act|banking reform]], two of the most notable pieces of legislation that Democrats navigated through Congress early in Obama's tenure.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442258723/Party-and-Procedure-in-the-United-States-Congress-Second-Edition|title=Party and Procedure in the United States Congress, Second Edition|last=Koger|first=Gregory|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2016|page=223|access-date=October 11, 2018|archive-date=October 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011214754/https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442258723/Party-and-Procedure-in-the-United-States-Congress-Second-Edition|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Schickler-2011">{{Cite journal|last1=Schickler|first1=Eric|last2=Wawro|first2=Gregory J.|date=January 3, 2011|title=What the Filibuster Tells Us About the Senate|journal=The Forum|language=en|volume=9|issue=4|doi=10.2202/1540-8884.1483|s2cid=144114653|issn=1540-8884}}</ref> Political scientists noted that "by slowing action even on measures supported by many Republicans, McConnell capitalized on the scarcity of floor time, forcing Democratic leaders into difficult trade-offs concerning which measures were worth pursuing. ... Slowing the Senate's ability to process even routine measures limited the sheer volume of liberal bills that could be adopted."<ref name="Schickler-2011" /> =====Use of the filibuster===== One of McConnell's most common tactics as minority leader to delay or obstruct legislation and judicial appointments has been the [[Filibuster in the United States Senate|filibuster]]. A filibuster is an attempt to "talk a bill to death", forcing Senate leadership to abandon a proposed measure instead of waiting out the filibuster―or at least to delay the measure's passage. In the United States Senate, any senator may speak for unlimited duration unless a 60-person majority votes to invoke [[cloture]], or end debate, and proceed to a final vote. Political scientists have referred to McConnell's use of the filibuster as "[[constitutional hardball]]", referring to the misuse of procedural tools in a way that undermines democracy.<ref name="amnesia" /><ref name="Fishkin-2018" /><ref name="Levitsky-2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562246/how-democracies-die-by-steven-levitsky-and-daniel-ziblatt/9781524762933/|title=How Democracies Die|last1=Levitsky|first1=Steven|last2=Ziblatt|first2=Daniel|date=2018|publisher=Penguin Randomhouse|access-date=March 14, 2019|archive-date=December 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211150321/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562246/how-democracies-die-by-steven-levitsky-and-daniel-ziblatt/9781524762933/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/12/11/wisconsins-and-michigans-legislatures-are-trying-to-weaken-incoming-governors-should-you-be-worried/|title=Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan want to weaken incoming Democratic governors. Here's what's the usual partisan politics – and what isn't.|last=Glassman|first=Matt|date=2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 14, 2019|archive-date=December 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211132519/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/12/11/wisconsins-and-michigans-legislatures-are-trying-to-weaken-incoming-governors-should-you-be-worried/|url-status=live}}</ref> Political scientists Hacker and Pierson describe the rationale behind McConnell's filibusters, "Filibusters left no fingerprints. When voters heard that legislation had been 'defeated', journalists rarely highlighted that this defeat meant a minority had blocked a majority. Not only did this strategy produce an atmosphere of gridlock and dysfunction; it also chewed up the Senate calendar, restricting the range of issues on which Democrats could progress."<ref name="amnesia" /> In 2013, Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] [[Nuclear option|eliminated the filibuster]] for all presidential nominations except the Supreme Court. By that time, nearly half of all votes to invoke cloture in the history of the Senate had occurred during Obama's presidency.<ref name="Mann-2017">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/gop-decay-of-political-norms/540165/|title=How the GOP Prompted the Decay of Political Norms |author1=E.J. Dionne Jr. |author2=Norm Ornstein |author3=Thomas E. Mann |date=September 19, 2017|work=[[The Atlantic]]|access-date=October 8, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=October 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008061326/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/gop-decay-of-political-norms/540165/|url-status=live}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mcconnell-went-nuclear-confirm-gorsuch-democrats-changed-senate-filibuster-rules-n887271|title=McConnell went 'nuclear' to confirm Gorsuch. But Democrats changed Senate filibuster rules first.|work=[[NBC News]]|author=Timm, Jane C.|date=June 28, 2018|access-date=December 27, 2018|archive-date=December 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212052906/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mcconnell-went-nuclear-confirm-gorsuch-democrats-changed-senate-filibuster-rules-n887271|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/06/republicans-go-nuclear-bust-through-democratic-filibuster-on-gorsuch.html|title=Republicans go 'nuclear,' bust through Democratic filibuster on Gorsuch|work=[[Fox News]]|author=Berger, Judson|date=April 6, 2017|access-date=December 27, 2018|archive-date=August 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804090917/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/06/republicans-go-nuclear-bust-through-democratic-filibuster-on-gorsuch.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-approves-nuclear-option-fight-gorsuch-supreme-court/story?id=46608672|title=Senate approves 'nuclear option,' clears path for Neil Gorsuch Supreme Court nomination vote|work=[[ABC News]]|author=Rogin, Ali|access-date=December 27, 2018|date=April 6, 2017|archive-date=August 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804055718/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-approves-nuclear-option-fight-gorsuch-supreme-court/story?id=46608672|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2019, McConnell wrote an editorial for ''[[The New York Times]]'', strongly opposing the elimination of the filibuster on legislation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mitch McConnell: The Filibuster Plays a Crucial Role in Our Constitutional Order|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/opinion/mitch-mcconnell-senate-filibuster.html|author=McConnell, Mitch|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 22, 2019|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903042823/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/opinion/mitch-mcconnell-senate-filibuster.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ==== Trump ==== [[File:Trump, Pence, Ryan, McConnell celebrate tax cut passage.jpg|thumb|right|[[Donald Trump]], [[Mike Pence]], [[Paul Ryan]], and McConnell celebrate the passage of the [[Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017]], December 2017.]] McConnell initially endorsed fellow Kentucky senator [[Rand Paul]] during the 2016 presidential campaign. Paul withdrew from the race following the Iowa caucus, and McConnell endorsed presumptive nominee Donald Trump on May 4, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bradner |first=Eric |date=May 5, 2016 |title=McConnell 'committed to supporting' Trump |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/04/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-republican-nominee/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820073222/https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/04/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-republican-nominee/index.html |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |access-date=September 18, 2020 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref> However, McConnell disagreed with Trump on multiple subsequent occasions. In May 2016, after Trump suggested that federal judge [[Gonzalo P. Curiel]] was biased against Trump because of his [[Mexican-American|Mexican heritage]], McConnell responded, "I don't agree with what he (Trump) had to say. This is a man who was born in Indiana. All of us came here from somewhere else." In July 2016, after Trump had criticized the parents of Capt. [[Humayun Khan (soldier)|Humayun Khan]], a [[Islam in the United States|Muslim-American]] soldier who was killed in Iraq, McConnell said, "All Americans should value the patriotic service of the patriots who volunteer to selflessly defend us in the armed services." On October 7, 2016, following the [[Donald Trump Access Hollywood controversy|Donald Trump ''Access Hollywood'' controversy]], McConnell said, "As the father of three daughters, I strongly believe that Trump needs to apologize directly to women and girls everywhere, and take full responsibility for the utter lack of respect for women shown in his comments on that tape."<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Buchanan |first1=Larry |last2=Parlapiano |first2=Alicia |last3=Yourish |first3=Karen |date=October 8, 2016 |title=Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell Reject Donald Trump's Words, Over and Over, but Not His Candidacy |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/10/08/us/politics/how-paul-ryan-and-mitch-mcconnell-have-disavowed-trumps-words-but-not-their-support.html |url-status=live |access-date=October 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008101619/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/10/08/us/politics/how-paul-ryan-and-mitch-mcconnell-have-disavowed-trumps-words-but-not-their-support.html |archive-date=October 8, 2016 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In private, McConnell reportedly expresses disdain for Trump<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Mayer, Jane |date=April 12, 2020 |title=How Mitch McConnell Became Trump's Enabler-In-Chief |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/20/how-mitch-mcconnell-became-trumps-enabler-in-chief |url-status=live |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919035353/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/20/how-mitch-mcconnell-became-trumps-enabler-in-chief |archive-date=September 19, 2020 |access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> and "abhors" his behavior.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mennel |first1=Eric |last2=McEvers |first2=Kelly |last3=Dreisbach |first3=Tom |date=July 11, 2019 |title='You May Need The Money More Than I Do': McConnell Once Returned Trump's Donation |work=npr.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/07/11/736047999/you-may-need-the-money-more-than-i-do-mcconnell-once-returned-trump-s-donation |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222825/https://www.npr.org/2019/07/11/736047999/you-may-need-the-money-more-than-i-do-mcconnell-once-returned-trump-s-donation |archive-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref> In October 2017, White House chief strategist [[Stephen Bannon]] and other Trump allies blamed McConnell for stalling the Trump administration's legislation. In response, McConnell cited the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to show that the Senate was supportive of Trump's agenda.<ref>{{cite news |author=Uria, Daniel |date=October 22, 2017 |title=Mitch McConnell fires back at criticism against GOP |newspaper=UPI |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/10/22/Mitch-McConnell-fires-back-at-criticism-against-GOP/8551508697632/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804053601/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/10/22/Mitch-McConnell-fires-back-at-criticism-against-GOP/8551508697632/ |archive-date=August 4, 2020}}</ref> After Joe Biden won the election of 2020 against Donald Trump, McConnell at first refused to recognize Biden as the winner of the election.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Watkins |first1=Morgan |title=In Senate speech, Mitch McConnell again won't acknowledge Joe Biden's victory over Trump |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2020/11/09/mitch-mcconnell-refuses-to-acknowledge-joe-bidens-victory-over-trump/6222737002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210318000055/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2020/11/09/mitch-mcconnell-refuses-to-acknowledge-joe-bidens-victory-over-trump/6222737002/ |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2020 |website=The Courier-Journal}}</ref><ref name="nyt2020Election">{{Cite news |last1=Cochrane |first1=Emily |last2=Fandos |first2=Nicholas |date=November 9, 2020 |title=President-Elect Joe Biden's Transition: Live Updates as McConnell Backs Trump's Refusal to Concede |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/09/us/joe-biden-trump |url-status=live |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110213255/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/09/us/joe-biden-trump |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Swanson |first1=Ian |date=November 9, 2020 |title=McConnell declines in floor speech to congratulate Biden as president-elect |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/525177-mcconnell-declines-in-floor-speech-to-congratulate-biden-as-president-elect/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110122826/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/525177-mcconnell-declines-in-floor-speech-to-congratulate-biden-as-president-elect |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2020 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> 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.<ref name="nyt2020Election" /><ref name="politico2020Election">{{cite web |title=McConnell-led Republicans hold steady against Trump concession |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/09/mcconnell-backs-trump-election-435506 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110224951/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/09/mcconnell-backs-trump-election-435506 |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2020 |website=[[Politico]]|date=November 9, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shepherd |first1=Katie |title=GOP splits over Trump's false election claims, unfounded fraud allegations |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/11/06/republicans-split-trump-election-fraud/ |url-status=live |access-date=November 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116035335/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/11/06/republicans-split-trump-election-fraud/ |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |issn=0190-8286 |via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref> At the same time that McConnell refused to recognize Biden, he did celebrate Republicans who won their races in the Senate and the House in the same elections.<ref name="nyt2020Election" /><ref name="politico2020Election" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Axios |date=November 9, 2020 |title=McConnell defends Trump's refusal to concede to Biden |url=https://www.axios.com/mcconnell-defends-trump-election-concede-b141484c-a5b7-470c-adc2-bf99d6ed9f4a.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110071726/https://www.axios.com/mcconnell-defends-trump-election-concede-b141484c-a5b7-470c-adc2-bf99d6ed9f4a.html |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2020 |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]}}</ref> On December 15, one day after the electoral college vote, McConnell reversed his previous stance and publicly acknowledged Biden's win, stating "Today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden."<ref>{{cite news |date=December 15, 2020 |title=McConnell for the first time recognizes Biden as President-elect |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/politics/mitch-mcconnell-congratulates-joe-biden/index.html |access-date=December 15, 2020 |archive-date=December 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215154311/https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/politics/mitch-mcconnell-congratulates-joe-biden/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 6, during the [[2021 United States Electoral College vote count|Electoral College vote count]], McConnell spoke out against the [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|efforts of Trump and his allies to overturn the election]]: {{blockquote|Trump claims the election was stolen. The assertions range from specific local allegations to constitutional arguments to sweeping conspiracy theories ... nothing before us proves illegality anywhere near the massive scale — the massive scale — that would have tipped the entire election. ... If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral. We'd never see the whole nation accept an election again. Every four years would be a scramble for power at any cost.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Phillips |first1=Amber |title=Analysis {{!}} Mitch McConnell's forceful rejection of Trump's election 'conspiracy theories' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/06/mitch-mcconnells-forceful-rejection-trumps-election-conspiracy-theories/ |access-date=January 8, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=January 6, 2021 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107203528/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/06/mitch-mcconnells-forceful-rejection-trumps-election-conspiracy-theories/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}} Later that day, he described the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack|storming of the Capitol building]] (which occurred while the Electoral College votes were being counted) as a "failed insurrection" which "tried to disrupt our democracy".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fandos |first1=Nicholas |last2=Cochrane |first2=Emily |last3=Sullivan |first3=Eileen |last4=Thrush |first4=Glenn |last5=Kanno-Youngs |first5=Zolan |last6=Martin |first6=Jonathan |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Resuming electoral counting, McConnell condemns the mob assault on the Capitol as a 'failed insurrection.' |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/insurrection.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107042449/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/insurrection.html |archive-date=January 7, 2021}}</ref> On April 10, 2021, Trump called McConnell a "dumb son of a bitch". Trump added: "I hired his wife. Did he ever say thank you?"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dawsey |first=Josh |title=Trump slashes at McConnell as he reiterates election falsehoods at Republican event |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-mcconnell-election/2021/04/11/297a82da-9879-11eb-962b-78c1d8228819_story.html |access-date=April 11, 2021 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411113504/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-mcconnell-election/2021/04/11/297a82da-9879-11eb-962b-78c1d8228819_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Trump has continued to attack McConnell in personal terms since then, but McConnell has not responded publicly.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 15, 2021 |title=Trump blames election loss on "suppression polling," attacks Pence and "pathetic" McConnell |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-blames-election-loss-suppression-polling-attacks-pence-pathetic-mcconnell-1591853 |website=[[Newsweek]] |access-date=May 18, 2021 |archive-date=May 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518011025/https://www.newsweek.com/trump-blames-election-loss-suppression-polling-attacks-pence-pathetic-mcconnell-1591853 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Paul Cantanese, McClatchy reporter. (December 21, 2021). "If you can't beat him, ignore him. How McConnell survived a year of Trump's attacks". [https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article256766102.html Lexington Herald-Leader website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224001820/https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article256766102.html |date=December 24, 2021 }} Retrieved December 22, 2021.</ref> =====First impeachment===== {{Main|First impeachment of Donald Trump}} On November 5, 2019, as the [[United States House of Representatives|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. ... If it were today, I don't think there's any question — it would not lead to a removal."<ref>{{cite web |author=Levine, Marianne |date=November 5, 2019 |title=McConnell says Senate would acquit Trump if trial held today |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/05/mcconell-senate-acquit-trump-066103 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030221116/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/05/mcconell-senate-acquit-trump-066103 |archive-date=October 30, 2020 |access-date=September 18, 2020 |work=[[Politico]]}}</ref> On December 14, 2019, McConnell met with White House counsel [[Pat Cipollone]] and White House legislative affairs director [[Eric Ueland]]. Later that day, McConnell declared that for Trump's impeachment trial, he would be in "total coordination with the White House counsel's office" and Trump's representatives.<ref name="dictatetrial">{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Aaron |date=December 14, 2019 |title=McConnell indicates he'll let Trump's lawyers dictate Trump's impeachment trial |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/13/mcconnell-says-hell-let-trumps-white-house-dictate-trumps-impeachment-trial/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219124528/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/13/mcconnell-says-hell-let-trumps-white-house-dictate-trumps-impeachment-trial/ |archive-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carney |first=Jordain |date=December 12, 2019 |title=McConnell says he'll be in 'total coordination' with White House on impeachment trial strategy |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474399-mcconnell-says-hell-be-in-total-coordination-with-white-house-on-impeachment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195811/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474399-mcconnell-says-hell-be-in-total-coordination-with-white-house-on-impeachment |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |access-date=December 20, 2019 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> He also declared that there was "no chance" the Senate would convict Trump and remove him from office.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Egan |first1=Lauren |date=December 13, 2019 |title=McConnell: 'There's no chance' Trump is removed from office |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-there-s-no-chance-trump-removed-office-n1101286 |url-status=live |access-date=December 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215202600/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/mcconnell-there-s-no-chance-trump-removed-office-n1101286 |archive-date=December 15, 2019}}</ref> On December 17, 2019, McConnell rejected a request to call four witnesses for Trump's impeachment trial because, according to McConnell, the Senate's role was to "act as judge and jury", not to investigate. Later that day, McConnell told the media: "I'm not an impartial juror [in this impeachment trial]. This is a political process. There's not anything judicial about it."<ref>{{cite news |author=Coogan, Steve |date=December 17, 2019 |title=Trump impeachment debate |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/2678381001 |url-status=live |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220140322/https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/2678381001 |archive-date=December 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=David |last2=Cornwell |first2=Susan |date=December 17, 2019 |title=On eve of expected impeachment, Trump lashes out at Pelosi, Democrats |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/top-senate-republican-opposes-demand-for-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-idUSKBN1YL15V?il=0 |url-status=live |access-date=December 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195825/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/top-senate-republican-opposes-demand-for-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-idUSKBN1YL15V?il=0 |archive-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref> 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. Commentators noted that McConnell had kept Republican senators "marching in lockstep" throughout the process.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bolton |first1=Alexander |date=February 7, 2020 |title=McConnell displays mastery of Senate with impeachment victory |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481953-mcconnell-displays-mastery-of-senate-with-impeachment-victory/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217072734/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481953-mcconnell-displays-mastery-of-senate-with-impeachment-victory |archive-date=February 17, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Cillizza |first1=Chris |date=January 31, 2020 |title=How Mitch McConnell pulled off a near-impossible impeachment feat |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-senate-impeachment-trial/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218045052/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-senate-impeachment-trial/index.html |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fritze |first1=John |last2=Wu |first2=Nicholas |last3=Jackson |first3=David |title=Charm, patience and Twitter tactics: How Trump, McConnell kept GOP in line on impeachment |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/06/senate-impeachment-trial-how-trump-mcconnell-kept-gop-line/4669695002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218072817/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/06/senate-impeachment-trial-how-trump-mcconnell-kept-gop-line/4669695002/ |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2020 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> =====Second impeachment===== {{Main|Second impeachment of Donald Trump}} On January 12, 2021, it was reported that McConnell supported impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, believing it would make it easier for Republicans to purge the party of Trump and rebuild the party.<ref>{{cite news |title=McConnell is said to be pleased about impeachment, believing it will be easier to purge Trump from the G.O.P. |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 12, 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/mitch-mcconnell-trump-impeachment.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112214332/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/mitch-mcconnell-trump-impeachment.html |archive-date=January 12, 2021|last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie }}</ref> On January 13, despite having the authority to call for an emergency meeting of the Senate to hold the Senate trial,{{failed verification|date=April 2021}} McConnell did not reconvene the chamber, claiming unanimous consent was required.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bolton |first1=Alexander |date=January 13, 2021 |title=McConnell won't agree to reconvene Senate early for impeachment trial |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/534053-mcconnell-wont-agree-to-reconvene-senate-early-for-impeachment-trial/ |access-date=February 14, 2021 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing Corp. |archive-date=January 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113193717/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/534053-mcconnell-wont-agree-to-reconvene-senate-early-for-impeachment-trial |url-status=live }}</ref> McConnell called for delaying the Senate trial until after Joe Biden's inauguration.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Morgan |title=In Senate vote, McConnell opposes Trump impeachment trial's constitutionality |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/09/big-vote-mitch-mcconnell-opposes-trump-trials-constitutionality/4454794001/ |access-date=May 11, 2021 |website=The Courier-Journal |language=en-US |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129062342/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/09/big-vote-mitch-mcconnell-opposes-trump-trials-constitutionality/4454794001/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Ari |title=Mitch McConnell delayed Trump's impeachment trial. Now he says the delay makes it unconstitutional. |url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo-wire/2021/02/mitch-mcconnell-delayed-trumps-impeachment-trial-now-he-says-the-delay-makes-it-unconstitutional/ |access-date=May 11, 2021 |website=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |language=en-US |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419074210/https://www.motherjones.com/mojo-wire/2021/02/mitch-mcconnell-delayed-trumps-impeachment-trial-now-he-says-the-delay-makes-it-unconstitutional/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The vote was a bipartisan majority ([[Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump#Verdict|57–43]]) but not enough to pass the two-thirds threshold.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trump acquitted, denounced in historic impeachment trial |url=https://www.startribune.com/trump-acquitted-denounced-in-historic-impeachment-trial/600022669/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219215356/https://www.startribune.com/trump-acquitted-denounced-in-historic-impeachment-trial/600022669/ |archive-date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref> After the vote McConnell lambasted and condemned Trump, despite his vote to acquit, in a 20-minute speech on the floor of the Senate, saying he believes Trump to be guilty of everything alleged by the House managers.<ref>{{cite web |title=McConnell: 'Trump is still liable for everything he did' – read full speech |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/mcconnell-trump-is-still-liable-for-everything-he-did-read-full-speech-11613254884 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=[[MarketWatch]] |archive-date=February 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213223047/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/mcconnell-trump-is-still-liable-for-everything-he-did-read-full-speech-11613254884 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=McConnell blames Trump but voted not guilty anyway|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/13/politics/mitch-mcconnell-acquit-trump/index.html|access-date=February 13, 2021|website=[[CNN]]|first1=Alex|last1=Rogers|first2=Manu|last2=Raju|date=February 13, 2021|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214025808/https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/13/politics/mitch-mcconnell-acquit-trump/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He stated that: {{blockquote|Former President Trump's actions preceding the riot were a disgraceful dereliction of duty ... There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day ... If President Trump were still in office, I would have carefully considered whether the House managers proved their specific charge.<ref name="republicanleader.senate.gov">{{cite web |title=McConnell on Impeachment: 'Disgraceful Dereliction"" Cannot Lead Senate to 'Defy Our Own Constitutional Guardrails' |url=https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/remarks/mcconnell-on-impeachment-disgraceful-dereliction-cannot-lead-senate-to-defy-our-own-constitutional-guardrails |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=republicanleader.senate.gov |archive-date=February 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213231557/https://www.republicanleader.senate.gov/newsroom/remarks/mcconnell-on-impeachment-disgraceful-dereliction-cannot-lead-senate-to-defy-our-own-constitutional-guardrails |url-status=live }}</ref>}} He explained why he nonetheless voted to acquit: "Article II, Section 4 must have force. It tells us the President, Vice President, and civil officers may be impeached and convicted. Donald Trump is no longer the president. Clearly that mandatory sentence cannot be applied to somebody who has left office. The entire process revolves around removal. If removal becomes impossible, conviction becomes insensible." Yet he said that Trump "didn't get away with anything yet" since Trump would remain subject to the country's criminal and civil laws.<ref name="republicanleader.senate.gov" /> When there was a proposal for an independent [[January 6 commission|commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack]], McConnell sought to organize Republican Senators to filibuster it,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senate Republicans prepared to block Jan. 6 commission |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/27/republicans-to-block-january-6-commission-491162 |access-date=May 27, 2021 |website=[[Politico]] |first=Burgess |last=Everett |date=May 27, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=June 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601030852/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/27/republicans-to-block-january-6-commission-491162 |url-status=live }}</ref> and on May 28, 2021, he voted against its creation.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 28, 2021 |title=Which senators supported a Jan. 6 Capitol riot commission |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/january6-commission-senators-vote/ |access-date=May 29, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526225939/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/january6-commission-senators-vote/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ====Biden==== McConnell's relationship with the Biden administration has been portrayed in media as one of comity. Biden has described McConnell as "a friend, colleague and 'man of his word.'" McConnell, for his part, has praised bipartisan legislation they worked on together, and had been the only Republican to attend the funeral of Biden's son, Beau (in 2015).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/04/biden-kentucky-mcconnell-00076303 | title=Biden and McConnell's visit to Kentucky signals White House roadmap for next 2 years under split Congress | website=[[Politico]] | date=January 4, 2023 | access-date=January 6, 2023 | archive-date=January 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106185203/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/04/biden-kentucky-mcconnell-00076303 | url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2021, McConnell helped pass a bill that extended the [[United States debt ceiling|debt ceiling]]. He convinced 11 Republicans to vote with the Democrats for it, without which the United States would have defaulted on its debts.<ref name="BBCdebt21">{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58820071 | title=Debt ceiling: What's next for the US debt limit | publisher=[[BBC News]] | date=October 15, 2021 | accessdate=May 27, 2023 | archive-date=May 25, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525174756/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58820071 | url-status=live }}</ref> ===Judicial nominees=== ====Under Obama==== {{See also|Barack Obama Supreme Court candidates|Barack Obama judicial appointment controversies}} Throughout Obama's tenure McConnell led Senate Republicans in what has been called "a disciplined, sustained, at times underhanded campaign to deny the Democratic president the opportunity to appoint federal judges".<ref name=McRemake>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/22/magazine/trump-remaking-courts-judiciary.html|title=How the Trump Administration Is Remaking the Courts|author=Zengerle, Jason|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 22, 2018|access-date=September 20, 2018|language=en|archive-date=September 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920111556/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/22/magazine/trump-remaking-courts-judiciary.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2009, following President Obama's nominating [[Sonia Sotomayor]] as Associate Justice, McConnell and [[Jeff Sessions]] opined that Sotomayor's seventeen years as a federal judge and over 3,600 judicial opinions would require lengthy review and advocated against Democrats hastening the confirmation process.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/us/politics/03judge.html|title=Parties Plot Strategy as Sotomayor Visits Capitol|date=June 2, 2009|first1=David M.|last1=Herszenhorn|first2=Carl|last2=Hulse|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=October 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016064816/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/us/politics/03judge.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 17, McConnell announced that he would vote against Sotomayor's confirmation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article24546766.html|title=McConnell, Bunning agree: They'll vote no on Sotomayor|author=Abdullah, Halimah|work=McClatchyDC|date=July 17, 2009|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=November 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117111641/https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article24546766.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In August, McConnell called Sotomayor "a fine person with an impressive story and a distinguished background" but added he did not believe she would withhold her personal or political views while serving as a justice. Sotomayor was confirmed days later.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/us/politics/07confirm.html|title=Sotomayor Confirmed by Senate, 68-31|first=Charlie|last=Savage|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 6, 2009|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919051849/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/us/politics/07confirm.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2010, after President Obama nominated [[Elena Kagan]] to succeed the retiring [[John Paul Stevens]], McConnell said during a Senate speech that Americans wanted to make sure Kagan would be independent of influence from White House as an associate justice and noted Obama's referring to Kagan as a friend of his in announcing her nomination.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kagan/top-republican-challenges-kagans-independence-idUSTRE6490DU20100512|title=Top Republican challenges Kagan's independence|author=Ferraro, Thomas|date=May 12, 2010|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804042252/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kagan/top-republican-challenges-kagans-independence-idUSTRE6490DU20100512|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell announced his opposition to Kagan's confirmation, saying she was not forthcoming enough about her "views on basic principles of American constitutional law".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/mcconnell-opposes-kagan/|title=McConnell Opposes Kagan|date=July 2, 2010|author=Stolberg, Sheryl Gay|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 2, 2019|archive-date=September 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921130555/https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/mcconnell-opposes-kagan/|url-status=live}}</ref> Kagan was confirmed the following month.<ref>{{cite web |last=Arce |first=Dwyer |url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2010/08/senate-votes-to-confirm-kagan-to-supreme-court |title = Senate votes to confirm Kagan to Supreme Court |date= August 5, 2010 |access-date = December 15, 2010 |publisher = [[JURIST]] |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727205404/http://jurist.org/paperchase/2010/08/senate-votes-to-confirm-kagan-to-supreme-court.php |archive-date = July 27, 2011|url-status=live }}</ref> 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. 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]]. In comparison, the final two years of the presidencies of [[George W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Ronald Reagan]] had between 55 and 70 district court judges each confirmed and between 10 and 15 appeals court judges confirmed.<ref name=McRemake/> According to the ''Los Angeles Times'', McConnell brought about an "extraordinary two-year slowdown in judicial confirmations," detailing 22 confirmations of Obama's judicial nominees, the lowest since President Truman in 1951–1952. The number of federal judicial vacancies more than doubled comparing the figure near the end of Obama's term to the figure at the end of George W. Bush's term.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Savage |first1=David |title=This Congress filled the fewest judgeships since 1952. That leaves a big opening for Trump |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-judges-trump-senate-20161231-story.html |date=December 31, 2016 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-date=June 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622091328/https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-judges-trump-senate-20161231-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>According to the [[Congressional Research Service]], on the first day of 2015, Obama had 3.9% of circuit court seats vacant, and 4.9% of district court seats vacant. By the first day of 2017, the figures had risen to 9.5% and 12.8% respectively. The 114th Congress confirmed 28.6% of Obama's circuit and district judge nominees; every other Congress in that research time frame (1977–2018, 95th to 115th Congress) had a confirmation rate of between 53% and 98%.{{cite web |title=Judicial Nomination Statistics and Analysis: U.S. District and Circuit Courts, 1977–2018 |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45622.pdf |website=[[Congressional Research Service]] |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-date=July 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716133048/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45622.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in a 2019 interview, McConnell credited himself for the large number of judicial vacancies created in the last two years of Obama's presidency.<ref name="dictatetrial" /> On February 13, 2016, Supreme Court justice [[Antonin Scalia]] died.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/05/us/politics/three-more-judges-said-to-be-vetted-for-supreme-court.html |title=Three More Judges Said to be Vetted for Supreme Court |author=Hirschfeld Davis, Julie |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-date=August 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824165143/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/05/us/politics/three-more-judges-said-to-be-vetted-for-supreme-court.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Shortly thereafter, McConnell issued a statement indicating that the U.S. Senate would not consider any Supreme Court nominee put forth by Obama.<ref name="Homans-2019" /><ref name="politico160213">{{Cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/mitch-mcconnell-antonin-scalia-supreme-court-nomination-219248|title=McConnell throws down the gauntlet: No Scalia replacement under Obama|first1=Burgess|last1=Everett|first2=Glenn|last2=Trush|date=February 13, 2016|newspaper=[[Politico]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919045954/https://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/mitch-mcconnell-antonin-scalia-supreme-court-nomination-219248|url-status=live}}</ref> "The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president," McConnell said at the time.<ref name="politico160213"/> On March 16, 2016, President Obama nominated [[Merrick Garland]], a Judge of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, to the Supreme Court.<ref>{{Cite news|first1=Michael D.|last1=Shear|first2=Gardiner|last2=Harris|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/us/politics/obama-supreme-court-nominee.html|title=Obama Chooses Merrick Garland for Supreme Court|date=March 16, 2016|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 3, 2018|archive-date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316121409/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/us/politics/obama-supreme-court-nominee.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Under McConnell's direction, Senate Republicans refused to take any action on the Garland nomination.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nina |last=Totenberg |author-link=Nina Totenberg |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/09/06/492857860/173-days-and-counting-gop-unlikely-to-end-blockade-on-garland-nomination-soon |title=170-Plus Days And Counting: GOP Unlikely To End Supreme Court Blockade Soon |publisher=[[NPR]]|work=[[All Things Considered]] |date=September 6, 2016 |access-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-date=September 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930134026/https://www.npr.org/2016/09/06/492857860/173-days-and-counting-gop-unlikely-to-end-blockade-on-garland-nomination-soon |url-status=live }}</ref> Garland's nomination expired on January 3, 2017, with the end of the [[114th United States Congress|114th Congress]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jess |last=Bravin |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/president-obamas-supreme-court-nomination-of-merrick-garland-expires-1483463952 |title=President Obama's Supreme Court Nomination of Merrick Garland Expires |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=January 3, 2017 |access-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310012617/https://www.wsj.com/articles/president-obamas-supreme-court-nomination-of-merrick-garland-expires-1483463952 |url-status=live }}</ref> In an August 2016 speech in Kentucky, McConnell made reference to the Garland nomination, saying that "one of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said, 'Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.'"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://crooksandliars.com/2016/08/mitch-mcconnell-mitch-mcconnell-proud|title=Mitch McConnell: Proud Moment When I Told Obama 'You Will Not Fill This Supreme Court Vacancy'|author=Scarce, Ed|work=Crooks and Liars|access-date=August 2, 2018|archive-date=July 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712030142/https://crooksandliars.com/2016/08/mitch-mcconnell-mitch-mcconnell-proud|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/34561-2|title=Tea Party-Aligned Kentucky Gov May End 95-Year Democratic Reign|author=Roarty, Alex|date=August 8, 2016|publisher=rollcall.com|access-date=August 21, 2016|archive-date=August 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822072110/http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/34561-2|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, McConnell said the decision not to act upon the Garland nomination was "the most consequential decision I've made in my entire public career".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kentuckytoday.com/stories/mcconnell-on-elections-the-wind-is-going-to-be-in-our-face,12674|title=McConnell on midterm elections: 'The wind is going to be in our face'|author=Alford, Roger|work=Kentucky Today|date=April 3, 2018|access-date=April 5, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404231010/http://kentuckytoday.com/stories/mcconnell-on-elections-the-wind-is-going-to-be-in-our-face,12674|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell's refusal to hold Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee [[Merrick Garland]] during Obama's final year in office was described by political scientists and legal scholars as "unprecedented",<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538105757/The-Trump-Presidency-Initial-Appraisals|title=The Trump Presidency: Outsider in the Oval Office|last1=Schier|first1=Steven E.|last2=Eberly|first2=Todd E.|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2017|page=71|access-date=October 11, 2018|archive-date=October 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011214805/https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538105757/The-Trump-Presidency-Initial-Appraisals|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://columbialawreview.org/content/hardball-vs-beanball-identifying-fundamentally-antidemocratic-tactics/|title=Constitutional Hardball vs. Beanball: Identifying Fundamentally Antidemocratic Tactics|last=Handelsman Shugerman|first=Jed|website=Columbia Law Review|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2019|archive-date=May 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530123602/https://columbialawreview.org/content/hardball-vs-beanball-identifying-fundamentally-antidemocratic-tactics/|url-status=live}}</ref> a "culmination of [his] confrontational style",<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783319410326#aboutBook|title=The Obama Presidency and the Politics of Change|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2017|editor-last=Ashbee|editor-first=Edward|pages=55, 62|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-41033-3|isbn=978-3-319-41032-6|editor-last2=Dumbrell|editor-first2=John|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=November 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130202254/https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783319410326#aboutBook|url-status=live}}</ref> a "blatant abuse of constitutional norms",<ref name="Mounk-2018">{{cite book|url=http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674976825|title=The People vs. Democracy|last=Mounk|first=Yascha|publisher=Harvard University Press|date=2018|isbn=9780674976825 |access-date=March 14, 2019|archive-date=November 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127131526/http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674976825|url-status=live}}</ref> and a "classic example of constitutional hardball".<ref name="Fishkin-2018" /> ====Under Trump==== {{See also|Donald Trump Supreme Court candidates|Donald Trump judicial appointment controversies}} In January 2017, Republican president [[Donald Trump]] nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left after Scalia's death.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-picks-colo-appeals-court-judge-neil-gorsuch-for-supreme-court/2017/01/31/2b08a226-e55e-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html|title=Trump picks Colo. appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court|last=Barnes|first=Robert|date=January 31, 2017|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=February 1, 2017|archive-date=February 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201013448/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-picks-colo-appeals-court-judge-neil-gorsuch-for-supreme-court/2017/01/31/2b08a226-e55e-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Gorsuch's nomination was confirmed on April 7, 2017, after McConnell eliminated the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Adam|last1=Liptak |author-link=Adam Liptak |first2=Matt|last2=Flegenheimer |title=Neil Gorsuch Confirmed by Senate as Supreme Court Justice |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/us/politics/neil-gorsuch-supreme-court.html |access-date=April 15, 2017 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 8, 2017 |page=A1 |archive-date=April 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429054521/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/us/politics/neil-gorsuch-supreme-court.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On July 18, 2018, with [[Andy Oldham]]'s Senate confirmation, Senate Republicans broke a record for largest number of [[Appellate court|appeals court]] judiciary [[List of federal judges appointed by Donald Trump|confirmations during a president's first two years]]; Oldham became the 23rd appeals court judge confirmed in Trump's term.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Platoff |first1=Emma |title=Senate confirms a top Abbott adviser, Andrew Oldham, to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2018/07/18/andrew-oldham-governor-greg-abbott-adviser-confirmed-5th-circuit/ |website=The Texas Tribune |date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=July 18, 2018 |archive-date=July 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718234602/https://www.texastribune.org/2018/07/18/andrew-oldham-governor-greg-abbott-adviser-confirmed-5th-circuit/ |url-status=live }}</ref> McConnell said he considers the judiciary to be the item of Trump's first two years with the longest-lasting impact on the country. The record for the number of [[circuit court]] judges confirmed during a president's first year was broken in 2017, while the previous two-year record took place under President [[George H. W. Bush]], and included 22 nominations.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Senate GOP poised to break record on Trump's court picks |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/397287-senate-gop-poised-to-break-record-on-trumps-court-picks/ |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=July 16, 2018 |access-date=July 18, 2018 |archive-date=July 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717143906/http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/397287-senate-gop-poised-to-break-record-on-trumps-court-picks |url-status=live }}</ref> By March 2020, McConnell had contacted an unknown number of judges, encouraging them to retire prior to the 2020 election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/16/mitch-mcconnell-urging-judges-retire-ahead-2020-election/5060303002/|work=Louisville Courier Journal|title=Mitch McConnell is quietly urging federal judges to retire ahead of 2020 election|author=Bailey, Phillip M.|date=March 16, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195810/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/16/mitch-mcconnell-urging-judges-retire-ahead-2020-election/5060303002/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/us/politics/mcconnell-judges-republicans.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=McConnell Has a Request for Veteran Federal Judges: Please Quit|author=Hulse, Carl|date=March 16, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=October 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018083419/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/us/politics/mcconnell-judges-republicans.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage|url-status=live}}</ref> He confirmed [[List of federal judges appointed by Donald Trump|260]] federal judges over the course of Trump's four-year term, [[Judicial appointment history for United States federal courts|shifting the federal judiciary]] to the [[Right-wing politics|right]]. [[File:Mitch McConnell meets with Brett Kavanaugh and Mike Pence.jpg|thumb|McConnell (left) with then-Judge [[Brett Kavanaugh]] (middle), the nominee to replace retiring Justice [[Anthony Kennedy]], and vice president [[Mike Pence]], 2018]] In July 2018, President Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace the retiring [[Anthony Kennedy]] as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. McConnell accused Democrats of [[Donald Trump judicial appointment controversies|creating an "extreme" distortion]] of Kavanaugh's record during his hearing process.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/396687-mcconnell-accuses-dems-of-trying-to-bork-kavanaugh/|title=McConnell accuses Dems of trying to 'bork' Kavanaugh|date=July 12, 2018|first=Jordain|last=Carney|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107145130/https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/396687-mcconnell-accuses-dems-of-trying-to-bork-kavanaugh|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2018, [[Christine Blasey Ford]] publicly alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh in 1982. After a report came out of Democrats' investigating a second allegation against Kavanaugh, McConnell said, "I want to make it perfectly clear. ... Judge Kavanaugh will be voted on here on the Senate floor."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/408144-mcconnell-promises-senate-vote-on-kavanaugh/|title=McConnell promises Senate vote on Kavanaugh|author=Carney, Jordain|date=September 24, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813203259/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/408144-mcconnell-promises-senate-vote-on-kavanaugh|url-status=live}}</ref> Kavanaugh was confirmed on October 6.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/06/politics/kavanaugh-final-confirmation-vote/index.html|title=Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to Supreme Court|first=Clare|last=Foran|date=October 7, 2018|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106191954/https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/06/politics/kavanaugh-final-confirmation-vote/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court.html|title=Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate|first=Sheryl Gay|last=Stolberg|date=October 6, 2018|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913140833/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court.html|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell afterward admitted the confirmation process was a low point for the Senate, but also downplayed reports of dysfunction in the Senate; he said claims that the Senate was "somehow broken over this [were] simply inaccurate".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/410289-mcconnell-simply-inaccurate-that-senate-is-broken-after-kavanaugh/|title=McConnell: 'Simply inaccurate' that Senate is broken after Kavanaugh fight|first=Brett|last=Samuels|date=October 7, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107185229/https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/410289-mcconnell-simply-inaccurate-that-senate-is-broken-after-kavanaugh|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2018, McConnell said if a Supreme Court vacancy were to occur during Trump's 2020 re-election year he would not follow his 2016 decision to let the winner of the upcoming presidential election nominate a justice. He noted that in 2016 the Senate was controlled by a party other than the president's — and argued that for that reason, the 2016 precedent was not applicable in 2020, when the presidency and Senate were both controlled by Republicans.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/mcconnell-signals-he-would-push-to-fill-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-2020-despite-2016-example/2018/10/08/75ee6fce-cb2a-11e8-a360-85875bac0b1f_story.html|title=McConnell signals he would push to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in 2020 despite 2016 example|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|author=Viebeck, Elise|language=en|date=October 9, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=October 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012094421/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/mcconnell-signals-he-would-push-to-fill-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-2020-despite-2016-example/2018/10/08/75ee6fce-cb2a-11e8-a360-85875bac0b1f_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2020, following the death of [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]], he announced the Senate would vote on Trump's nominated replacement.<ref>{{Cite web|work=[[CNN]]|first1=Clare|last1=Foran|first2=Manu|last2=Raju|first3=Ted|last3=Barrett|title=McConnell vows Trump's nominee to replace Ginsburg will get Senate vote, setting up historic fight|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/18/politics/congress-fight-rgb-seat/index.html|date=September 19, 2020|access-date=September 19, 2020|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919012142/https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/18/politics/congress-fight-rgb-seat/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 23, 2020, McConnell set in place the Senate debate for the confirmation of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to fill Ginsburg's seat. Barrett was confirmed on October 26, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcconnell-senate-cloture-vote-amy-coney-barrett-nomination-watch-live-stream-today-2020-10-23|title=Senate takes up Barrett nomination|work=[[CBS News]]|access-date=October 23, 2020|archive-date=October 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023200630/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcconnell-senate-cloture-vote-amy-coney-barrett-nomination-watch-live-stream-today-2020-10-23/|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Government shutdowns=== The United States federal government shut down October 1–17, 2013, following a failure to enact legislation to fund the government. McConnell later vowed Republicans would not force the U.S. to default on its debt or shut down the government in 2014, when stop-gap funding measures were set to expire. He also said he would not allow other Republicans to obstruct the budget-making process.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown-098943|title=McConnell: No more shutdowns|author=Palmer, Anna|date=October 28, 2013|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=October 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012190403/https://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown-098943|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bash|first=Dana|date=August 28, 2014|title=McConnell: 'Remember me? I am the guy that gets us out of shutdowns' {{!}} CNN Politics|url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/28/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdowns/index.html|access-date=January 6, 2022|website=[[CNN]]|language=en|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106065340/https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/28/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdowns/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2018, McConnell said funding for the [[Mexico–United States border]] wall would likely have to wait until the midterms had concluded. President Trump tweeted two days later that he was willing to allow a government shutdown to get funding.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/30/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdown-president-trump/index.html|title=McConnell said wall funding would 'probably' have to wait until after midterms. Trump threatened a shutdown two days later|first=Jamie|last=Ehrlich|date=July 30, 2018|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=January 9, 2019|archive-date=December 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206033408/https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/30/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdown-president-trump/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Several spending bills were approved that August; the approvals were seen as a victory for McConnell in his attempts to prevent another government shutdown.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/403360-senate-passes-massive-spending-bill-on-defense-health-education/|title=Senate approves sweeping bill on defense, domestic spending|author=Carney, Jordain|date=October 23, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805110643/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/403360-senate-passes-massive-spending-bill-on-defense-health-education|url-status=live}}</ref> ====Shutdown of 2018–2019==== From December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, the [[United States federal government shutdown of 2018–2019|federal government was shut down]] when Congress refused to give in to Trump's demand for $5.7 billion in federal funds for a [[Trump border wall|U.S.–Mexico border wall]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422600-mcconnell-knocks-dems-for-rejecting-trumps-reasonable-request-on-border/|title=McConnell knocks Dems for rejecting Trump's 'reasonable request' on border|author=Carney, Jordain|date=December 22, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804015536/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422600-mcconnell-knocks-dems-for-rejecting-trumps-reasonable-request-on-border|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2018, the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican-controlled]] [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] unanimously passed an appropriations bill without wall funding, and the bill appeared likely to be approved by the Republican-controlled [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and Trump. After Trump faced heavy criticism from some [[Alternative media (U.S. political right)|right-wing media outlets]] and pundits for appearing to back down on his campaign promise to [[Build the Wall|"build the wall"]], he announced that he would not sign any appropriations bill that did not fund its construction.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/423590-mcconnell-suggests-shutdown-could-last-for-weeks/|title=McConnell suggests shutdown could last for weeks|author=Carney, Jordain|date=January 2, 2019|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922153149/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/423590-mcconnell-suggests-shutdown-could-last-for-weeks|url-status=live}}</ref> During this shutdown, McConnell blocked the Senate from voting on appropriations legislation, and said it was not his place to mediate between the Senate and Trump.<ref name="Bresnahan-2019">{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2F8BR6M|title=McConnell keeps his head down as government shutdown drags on|last1=Bresnahan|first1=John|last2=Everett|first2=Burgess|website=[[Politico]]|language=en|date=January 4, 2019|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195811/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/04/mcconnell-government-shutdown-1080027|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Nilsen-2019">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/10/18176932/senate-democrats-mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown|title=Senate Democrats pushed a vote to reopen the government. Mitch McConnell shot them down.|last=Nilsen|first=Ella|date=January 10, 2019|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523202409/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/10/18176932/senate-democrats-mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Itkowitz-2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/mitch-mcconnell-could-end-shutdown-hes-sitting-this-one-out/|title=Mitch McConnell could end the shutdown. But he's sitting this one out.|last=Itkowitz|first=Colby|date=January 11, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905084251/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/mitch-mcconnell-could-end-shutdown-hes-sitting-this-one-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> Privately, McConnell had advised Trump against initiating the shutdown.<ref name="Homans-2019" /> Democrats criticized McConnell for not putting appropriations legislation up for a vote, noting that the Republican-controlled Senate had unanimously passed an appropriations bill without wall funding and that the Senate could override Trump's veto.<ref name="Bresnahan-2019" /><ref name="Nilsen-2019" /><ref name="Itkowitz-2019" /> By January 23, McConnell had blocked four Senate bills to reopen the government and a bill funding the Homeland Security Department through February 8. McConnell called for Democrats to support a Trump administration-backed measure that included $5.7 billion in wall funding, together with a temporary extension of protections for [[DACA]] recipients, a Democratic priority.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/426668-mcconnell-blocks-bill-to-reopen-most-of-government/|title=McConnell blocks bill to reopen most of government|author=Carney, Jordain|date=January 23, 2019|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=January 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124044721/https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/426668-mcconnell-blocks-bill-to-reopen-most-of-government|url-status=live}}</ref> Privately, other Republican senators pressured McConnell to stop blocking appropriations legislation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/this-is-your-fault-gop-senators-clash-over-shutdown-inside-private-luncheon/2019/01/24/cde0ca22-2045-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html|title='This is your fault': GOP senators clash over shutdown inside private luncheon|last1=Sullivan|first1=Sean|last2=Kane|first2=Paul|date=January 25, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923011602/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/this-is-your-fault-gop-senators-clash-over-shutdown-inside-private-luncheon/2019/01/24/cde0ca22-2045-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/politics/mcconnell-senate-republicans-shutdown.html|title=McConnell Faces Pressure From Republicans to Stop Avoiding Shutdown Fight|last1=Stolberg|first1=Sheryl Gay|date=January 3, 2019|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=May 23, 2019|last2=Fandos|first2=Nicholas|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115075719/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/politics/mcconnell-senate-republicans-shutdown.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The shutdown ended on January 25, when President Trump signed a three-week funding measure reopening the government until February 15 without any funds for a border wall.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gambino |first1=Lauren |last2=Walters |first2=Joanna |title=Trump signs bill to end shutdown and temporarily reopen government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/25/shutdown-latest-news-trump-reopens-government-deal-democrats |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=January 25, 2019 |date=January 25, 2019 |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125203948/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/25/shutdown-latest-news-trump-reopens-government-deal-democrats |url-status=live }}</ref> This was the longest government shutdown in American history.<ref name="Homans-2019" /><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Zaveri|first1=Mihir|last2=Gates|first2=Guilbert|last3=Zraick|first3=Karen|date=January 9, 2019|title=The Government Shutdown Was the Longest Ever. Here's the History.|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|access-date=January 6, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109234923/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ===COVID-19 response=== In response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]], McConnell initially opposed the [[Families First Coronavirus Response Act]], calling it a Democratic "ideological wish list".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/487235-mcconnell-house-coronavirus-bill-an-ideological-wish-list/|title=McConnell: House coronavirus bill an 'ideological wish list'|author=Carney, Jordain|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=March 12, 2020|access-date=March 14, 2020|archive-date=March 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314203349/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/487235-mcconnell-house-coronavirus-bill-an-ideological-wish-list|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The twisted politics of Washington's coronavirus response|work=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/twisted-politics-washington-s-coronavirus-response-n1156856|author=Allen, Jonathan|date=March 12, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=April 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402114359/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/twisted-politics-washington-s-coronavirus-response-n1156856|url-status=live}}</ref> He subsequently reversed his position when Trump endorsed the proposed package.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcconnell-holds-presser-on-round-3-of-coronavirus-legislation|title=McConnell tells GOP to pass House coronavirus bill: 'Gag and vote for it anyway'|author=Schultz, Marisa|work=[[Fox News]]|date=March 17, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804170935/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcconnell-holds-presser-on-round-3-of-coronavirus-legislation|url-status=live}}</ref> The bill passed in the Senate by a vote of 90–8. McConnell also directed Senate Republicans in negotiations for two other COVID-19 response packages: the [[Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020]], and the [[CARES Act]]. The CARES Act was the largest [[economic stimulus]] package in U.S. history,<ref>Wire, Sarah D. (March 25, 2020) "[https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-25/vote-senate-on-2-trillion-economic-stimulus-package-coronavirus Senate passes $2-trillion economic stimulus package] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006074713/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-25/vote-senate-on-2-trillion-economic-stimulus-package-coronavirus/ |date=October 6, 2020 }}". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''.</ref> amounting to 10% of total U.S. [[gross domestic product]].<ref>Kambhampati, Sandhya (March 26, 2020). "[https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-26/coronavirus-stimulus-package-versus-recovery-act The coronavirus stimulus package versus the Recovery Act] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808105228/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-26/coronavirus-stimulus-package-versus-recovery-act |date=August 8, 2020 }}". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''.</ref> It passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support.<ref>{{Cite web|title=All of the COVID-19 stimulus bills, visualized|url=https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/2021/03/11/covid-19-stimulus-how-much-do-coronavirus-relief-bills-cost/4602942001/|access-date=January 6, 2022|website=www.usatoday.com|date=March 11, 2021|language=en|archive-date=December 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230151440/https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/2021/03/11/covid-19-stimulus-how-much-do-coronavirus-relief-bills-cost/4602942001/|url-status=live}}</ref> 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. His comments were met with sharp criticism from various state and local officials. States currently cannot declare bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite news|title=McConnell Says He Favors Letting States Declare Bankruptcy|first1=Steven T.|last1=Dennis|first2=William|last2=Selway|work=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-22/mcconnell-says-he-favors-allowing-states-to-declare-bankruptcy|date=April 22, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929040047/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-22/mcconnell-says-he-favors-allowing-states-to-declare-bankruptcy|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/us/coronavirus-republicans-blowback-aid.html|title=With Go-Slow Approach, Republicans Risk Political Blowback on Pandemic Aid|author=Hulse, Carl|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 15, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918091015/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/us/coronavirus-republicans-blowback-aid.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In negotiations between congressional Democrats and White House officials for an additional aid package, McConnell was absent from the talks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/politics/mcconnell-stimulus-talks-coronavirus.html|title=In Stimulus Talks, McConnell Is Outside the Room and in a Tight Spot|author=Hulse, Carl|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 5, 2020|access-date=August 13, 2020|archive-date=August 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812124023/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/politics/mcconnell-stimulus-talks-coronavirus.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/511554-mcconnell-time-to-restart-coronavirus-talks-amid-stalemate-on-deal/|title=McConnell: Time to restart coronavirus talks|author=Carney, Jordain|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=August 11, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922221616/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/511554-mcconnell-time-to-restart-coronavirus-talks-amid-stalemate-on-deal|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/510801-mcconnell-goes-hands-off-on-bill/|author=Bolton, Alexander|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|title=McConnell goes hands-off on coronavirus relief bill|date=August 6, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915150848/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/510801-mcconnell-goes-hands-off-on-bill|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 10, 2020, a pared-down COVID-19 relief bill crafted by McConnell failed to advance the Senate past a Democratic filibuster.<ref>{{cite news|title=Senate Democrats block $300 billion coronavirus stimulus package, leaving little hope for relief before November|work=[[USA Today]]|author=Hayes, Christal|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/10/coronavirus-senate-set-vote-bill-democrats-vow-block/5762727002/|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916194934/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/10/coronavirus-senate-set-vote-bill-democrats-vow-block/5762727002/|url-status=live}}</ref> Democrats panned the bill as "completely inadequate" given the scope of the crisis brought on by the COVID-19,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/10/coronavirus-stimulus-update-senate-relief-bill-fails.html|work=[[MSNBC]]|title=Senate Republicans fail to advance coronavirus stimulus bill as stalemate drags on|author=Pramuk, Jacob|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917212237/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/10/coronavirus-stimulus-update-senate-relief-bill-fails.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and as a partisan maneuver to help Republican senators up for reelection.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/10/politics/mitch-mcconnell-senate-majority/index.html|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=September 10, 2020|title=How McConnell is maneuvering to keep the Senate in GOP hands — and navigating Trump|author=Raju, Manu|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918020216/https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/10/politics/mitch-mcconnell-senate-majority/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> McConnell called the bill a choice between "do[ing] something" and "do[ing] nothing",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/politics/schumer-coronavirus-gop-stimulus-bill-cnntv/index.html|title=Schumer says Democrats won't fold to GOP's 'emaciated' stimulus bill|author=Stracqualursi, Veronica|work=[[CNN]]|date=September 9, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916225535/https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/politics/schumer-coronavirus-gop-stimulus-bill-cnntv/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and said he was holding the procedural vote to get lawmakers on the record about their willingness to compromise on COVID-19 legislation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-relief-bill-senate-republican-vote-fails/|title=Senate fails to advance slimmed-down GOP coronavirus relief bill|date=September 10, 2020|work=[[CBS News]]|author=Segers, Grace|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911085224/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-relief-bill-senate-republican-vote-fails/|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Approval ratings=== As the leader of the Senate Republicans, McConnell has been at the receiving end of much of the criticism and disapproval that Republicans receive from Democratic voters, receiving near uniform disapproval from left-of-center voters. Furthermore, as a result of his unpopularity with Trump and the more populist base, McConnell has had historically low approval for a senator when looking at the electorate as a whole, as a 2012 poll and a 2016 poll each found that McConnell had the lowest home-state approval rating of any sitting senator.<ref name=Smart>{{cite web|magazine=Smart Politics|author=Ostermeier, Dr. Eric|title=Which States Give Their US Senators the Lowest Marks?|url=http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2015/11/29/which-states-give-their-us-senators-the-lowest-marks/|date=November 29, 2015|accessdate=November 17, 2016|archive-date=November 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118041551/http://editions.lib.umn.edu/smartpolitics/2015/11/29/which-states-give-their-us-senators-the-lowest-marks/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|author=Cirilli, Kevin|date=December 12, 2012|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/poll-the-most-unpopular-senator-084927|title=Poll: The most unpopular senator|magazine=[[Politico]]|accessdate=February 12, 2017|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225061939/https://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/poll-the-most-unpopular-senator-084927|url-status=live}}</ref> With a 49% disapproval rate in 2017, McConnell had the highest disapproval rating of all senators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members-of-congress.insidegov.com/stories/14197/least-popular-senators#25-Sen-Mitch-McConnell-R-Ky|title=The Least Popular U.S. Senators|publisher=InsideGov (Graphiq)|accessdate=June 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706181742/https://graphiq-stories.graphiq.com/stories/14197/least-popular-senators#25-Sen-Mitch-McConnell-R-Ky|archive-date=July 6, 2017|website=insidegov.com}}</ref> In September 2019, the [[Morning Consult]] found that his approval rating had been underwater since the first quarter of 2017, when it was 44% positive and 47% negative. The worst 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.<ref name=Morning /> At that time he was briefly not the least popular Senator, and was surpassed by Senators [[Claire McCaskill]] and [[Jeff Flake]].<ref>{{cite news|title=America's Most and Least Popular Senators: McConnell loses spot as least popular senator|date=January 10, 2019|author=Yokley, Eli|publisher=Morning Consult|url=https://morningconsult.com/2019/01/10/americas-most-and-least-popular-senators-q4-2018/|accessdate=September 2, 2019|website=morningconsult.com|archive-date=April 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414082922/https://morningconsult.com/2019/01/10/americas-most-and-least-popular-senators-q4-2018/|url-status=live}}</ref> As of the second quarter of 2019, however, McConnell's ratings were 36% positive and 50% negative. He netted −56 among Democrats, +29 among Republicans, and −24 among Independents.<ref name=Morning>{{cite web|url=https://morningconsult.com/senator-rankings-q2-19-2/|title=Morning Consult's Senator Approval Rankings: Q2 2019, Senator Lookup|publisher=Morning Consult|year=2019|accessdate=September 2, 2019|website=morningconsult.com|archive-date=October 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014003848/https://morningconsult.com/senator-rankings-q2-19-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> An average of polls by the Economist/YouGov, Politico/Morning Consult, and Harvard-Harris from the end of July through August 2019 (7/31–8/27), was 23% favorable and 48% unfavorable (−25.0 spread).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/mitch_mcconnell_favorableunfavorable-6672.html|title=Mitch McConnell: Favorable/Unfavorable|publisher=Real Clear Politics (RealClearHoldings, LLC.)|accessdate=September 2, 2019|website=realclearpolitics.com|archive-date=May 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507194649/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/mitch_mcconnell_favorableunfavorable-6672.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, according to [[Morning Consult]], [[Susan Collins]] edged out McConnell as the most unpopular senator with a 52% unfavorable rating from Maine voters compared to 50% unfavorable for McConnell.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/16/susan-collins-approval-rating/4495142002/|title=Susan Collins surpasses Mitch McConnell as the most unpopular senator in a new poll|author=Behrmann, Savannah|date=January 17, 2020|accessdate=January 17, 2020|publisher=[[USA Today]] (Gannett)|archive-date=May 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507194648/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/16/susan-collins-approval-rating/4495142002/|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Committee assignments=== McConnell's committee assignments for the 118th Congress are as follows:<ref name="118thCongressAssignments">{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_assignments/assignments.htm|title=Committee Assignments of the 118th Congress|access-date=March 17, 2023|website=United States Senate|archive-date=May 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512200450/https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_assignments/assignments.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry|Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry]] ** [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade|Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade]] ** [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources|Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources]] ** [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research|Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research]] * [[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]] ** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies]] ** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense|Subcommittee on Defense]] ** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development|Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development]] ** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies]] ** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies]] ** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs|Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs]] * [[United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration|Committee on Rules and Administration]] * [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Select Committee on Intelligence]] (''ex officio'') Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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