[Ed. – One small obstacle sidestepped.]
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said he won’t withhold support for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee as a bargaining chip to secure action on tariffs.
“There are lots of folks out there who assume because I’ve not been in line with lots of the president’s policies, and certainly haven’t condoned his behavior, that I should oppose everything, every one of the president’s nominees or whatever. I’ve never taken that position,” Flake told The Arizona Republic in an interview published Thursday.
The senator’s remarks arrive a week after he was said to be considering whether to block votes on Trump’s appellate court nominations in efforts to secure action on tariffs and travel restrictions to Cuba.
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“My goal here is not to block judges,” the retiring Republican lawmaker said. “My goal is to get a vote on tariffs, and I have all the leverage I need with circuit court nominees.”
Flaked added that he “certainly wasn’t anticipating a Supreme Court vacancy, but it’s unaffected.”
