Source: Fox News
Summary
President Donald Trump is calling for the replacement of Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she stripped out funding for security enhancements to the White House ballroom project from a $72 billion immigration enforcement funding package. Trump accused MacDonough of being biased against Republicans and having a history of making decisions that favor Democrats. Senate Republicans, however, are not keen on replacing MacDonough, citing the difficulties of the reconciliation process and the need to work through the system.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
Trump’s criticism of MacDonough is not new, and the parliamentarian has been a target for Republicans in the past. The process of reconciliation is notoriously difficult, and the parliamentarian’s decisions often spark controversy. The fact that MacDonough was appointed by former President Barack Obama and Senator Harry Reid has led to accusations of bias. The debate over the parliamentarian’s role is a familiar one, with Republicans calling for her replacement and Democrats defending her impartiality. The true root cause of the issue, according to some Republicans, is the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
It’s business as usual in the Senate.
Author: Evan Null
