Senate panel approves Trump court pick over Dem boycott

The Republican-led U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved President Donald Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to a lifetime Supreme Court seat despite a Democratic boycott, clearing the way for a final Senate confirmation vote planned for Monday.

This video produced by Jonah Green.

SENATOR LINDSAY GRAHAM: "We did it...Judge Barrett is going to the floor..." Less than two weeks before the presidential election, The Republican-led U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved President Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to a lifetime Supreme Court seat despite a Democratic boycott.

Speaking on the steps of the capitol, democratic senators expressed outrage over what they saw as a rushed process.

SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER: "Democrats will not lend a single ounce of legitimacy to this sham vote in the Judiciary Committee." Democrats were furious that Senate Republicans moved forward with the nomination so near an election after refusing in 2016 to consider Barack Obama's Supreme Court pick because....as Republicans said at the time - it was an election year.

SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR: "They have engaged in a sham in violating their own precedent." SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER: "The United States Senate has never - never - considered a Supreme Court Justice this close to a national presidential Election Day.

Especially one in which tens of millions of Americans have already voted." Back in the chamber, the empty seats of the Democratic committee were filled with posters of people who they argue would be hurt if the Affordable Care Act is struck down once Barrett is on the court, as Trump has sought in a case to be argued before the justices on Nov.

10.

"They started this.

Not me." But Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said he wouldn't let the boycott stop a vote.

GRAHAM: "I hope you look back at this time on the committee and say 'I was there when it mattered' and you were." Thursday's vote clears the way for a full Senate vote on Barrett's confirmation planned for Monday.

And with a Republican majority in the Senate, her confirmation before the November 3rd election is all but certain - and would expand the top court's conservative majority to 6-3.