WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus announced the formation of a SCOTUS task force ahead of a pending announcement from the White House on a nominee. Chairman Priebus released the following statement:
“This will be the most comprehensive judicial response effort in our party’s history,” said Chairman Priebus. “If the president wants to break with decades of precedent by pushing through a nominee in an election year, we’re going to vet that person and put their real record on display. We’re going to hold everyone accountable and make sure Democrats have to answer to the American people for why they don’t want voters to have a say in this process.”
Background:
The RNC is launching a two-pronged effort to thoroughly vet anyone the White House nominates for the court, as well as a messaging effort against Democrats to make them explain why they won’t adhere to the Biden Rule and give the American people a voice in this process. The RNC will put a spotlight on the Democrats’ hypocrisy by highlighting their own past statements and beliefs that a nominee should not be put forward in an election year. The RNC task force will contract and team up with America Rising Squared (AR2) to bolster the effort.
The RNC efforts will be led by RNC Research Director and Deputy Communications Director Raj Shah, Deputy Communications Director Ryan Mahoney, and Rapid Response Director Michael Short. AR2’s team will be spearheaded by Brian Rogers.
The task force will target the White House, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders, as well as Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Senate candidates Ted Strickland (D-OH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Katie McGinty (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Patrick Murphy (D-FL), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jason Kander (D-MO), and Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ).
