1.3 Million Petition Signatures Delivered to Senators Calling For Supreme Court Nominee To Get Fair Consideration
Sen. Schumer: ai???They swear theyai??i??re gonna hold their ground, but over time, they fold.ai??? Sen. Murphy: ai???Senate Republicans are giving a middle finger to the American people.ai??? Groups: This is just the beginning of organizing the public.
Leaders From CREDO Action, Color of Change, MoveOn.org Civic Action, Every Voice, Daily Kos, Demand Progress, PFAW, Common Cause, PCCC, Ultra Violet Action, and NextGen Climate Tell Senate Republicans:
Do Your Job. Follow The Constitution. Or Prepare For Public Outrage.

Sen. Chuck Schumer as well as Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy accept over 1.3 million petition signatures from progressive groups includingCREDO, MoveOn.org Civic Action, Daily Kos, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), Demand Progress, UltraViolet Action, People For the American Way, Color of Change, Common Cause, NextGen Climate, and Every Voice, calling on Senate Republicans to stop SCOTUS obstruction.

Today, Senate Democrats and leading progressive groups vowed to increase public pressure on Senate Republicans until they stopped their Supreme Court obstruction and allowed a nominee to be fairly considered.

Standing with progressive organization leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said: ai???They swear theyai??i??re gonna hold their ground, but over time, they fold. Republican leadership said they would never fund the Affordable Care Act — they did. Republican leadership said they were never going to break the budget gaps and relieve sequestration — they did. They said theyai??i??d never reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank — they did. They said theyai??i??d never pass a DHS bill which funded the presidentai??i??s executive action on immigration. They said theyai??i??d never confirm Loretta Lynch — they did. And so, over and over again weai??i??ve seen this movie.ai???

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) added: ai???Senate Republicans are …

ai???My hope is that the President will promptly nominate someone with strong intellect and integrity who can win bipartisan support. I will work vigorously as a member of the Judiciary Committee to achieve confirmation.ai???

— Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senate Judiciary Committee

“The sudden death of Justice Scalia creates an immediate vacancy on the most important court in the United States. Senator McConnell is right that the American people should have a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court justice. In fact, they did ai??i?? when President Obama won the 2012 election by five million votes. Article II Section 2 of the Constitution says the President of the United States nominates justices to the Supreme Court, with the advice and consent of the Senate. I can’t find a clause that says ‘…except when there’s a year left in the term of a Democratic President.’ Senate Republicans took an oath just like Senate Democrats did. Abandoning the duties they swore to uphold would threaten both the Constitution and our democracy itself. It would also prove that all the Republican talk about loving the Constitution is just that ai??i?? empty talk.”

— Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

“[W]e cannot allow the Republican majority in the Senate to deny the President his basic constitutional right.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

“The American people deserve better than an empty #SCOTUS seat for over a year. The Senate needs to do its job without delay and obstruction.”

— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

ai???This is an important responsibility. The Senate should fulfill its constitutional obligation without letting partisan politics intervene. When the president nominates someone, that person should get a full and fair review.ai???

— Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)

“As I read the Constitution, it clearly says we have an obligation, the president has an …

PCCC & Social Security Works Launch Online Ad Buy in NH
PCCC: ai???It is an absolute must for a Democratic nominee who claims to be progressive to take Social Security cuts off the table.ai???

Today, after Sec. Hillary Clintonai??i??s campaign made clear for the first time that she will not commit to never cut Social Security, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Social Security Works have launched an online ad buy in New Hampshire to increase pressure on Clinton to make that explicit promise beforeAi??Tuesdayai??i??sAi??primary.

Minutes ago, the Clinton campaignAi??told the Huffington Post, ai???She has no plans to cut benefits.ai??? The Huffington Post accurately reported, ai???Hillary Clinton refuses to rule out any and all benefit cuts to Social Security.ai???

The PCCC and Social Security Works in response announced an online ad buy statewide across New Hampshire today. The Facebook and Google ads will target likely Democratic voters, including Clintonai??i??s supporters.

Stephanie Taylor, Co-founder of the PCCC issued the following statement:

ai???Hillary Clinton says she has ai???no plansai??i?? to cut Social Security — but George W. Bush had ai???no plansai??i?? to invade Iraq. That is not a promise, and our grandparents and veterans need a promise.

ai???It is an absolute must for a Democratic nominee who claims to be progressive to say clearly and unequivocally that they will never cut Social Security benefits. Bernie Sanders has made that commitment. Hillary Clinton should make that commitment before the New Hampshire primary so Democrats can focus on expanding benefits.ai???

Statement from Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works:

ai???The American people stand united against cuts to Social Security benefits, all Americans. Ninety-four percent of Americans stand against benefit cuts. We need Hillary Clinton to promise to never cut Social Security benefits, no cuts, no buts, now or ever.ai???

Neither group has endorsed a candidate …

Take a look:

ExpandSocialSecurity.org

On Fox & Friends this morning, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee Co-Founder Adam Green challenged Hillary Clinton to promise before New Hampshire never to cut Social Security. In a PPP poll conducted over the weekend in Iowa, 84% of Democrats across all age groups planning to caucus said this commitment was ai???very importantai??? to their voting.

Statement from Adam Green, Co-Founder of PCCC:

ai???We challenge Hillary Clinton to promise before the New Hampshire Primary that she will never cut Social Security.

ai???Bernie Sanders defied expectations and surged to a tie in Iowa by successfully riding a rising the economic populist tide that we see all across America. In recent months, Hillary Clinton has held herself out to voters as someone who would fight for economic populist goals, including on issues like debt-free college and Wall Street reform. But she is leaving open a huge vulnerability by not addressing Social Security cuts.

ai???Forcing seniors to live in poverty, to choose between food and rent, is unacceptable. We challenge Hillary Clinton to take the first step and take cuts off the table, because committing to never cut Social Security benefits is an absolute prerequisite for a Democratic nominee. Hillary Clinton should make this commitment before New Hampshire. Then, the Democratic Party can forge ahead to a national discussion about how to expand benefits to meet the needs of our grandparents and veterans.ai???

From Adam Greenai??i??s challenge to Hillary Clinton on Fox & Friends:ai???She has not said that she will not cut Social Security benefits. I would challenge [Hillary Clinton] before New Hampshire to make very clear to Democratic voters that she will never cut Social Security.ai???

See full PPP polling results from Iowa showing …

New PPP Poll Shows Sanders and Clinton Supporters Voting on Candidates Willingness to Challenge Corporate Power, Tackle Income Inequality, Protect Social Security

In a final poll of Iowans who plan to caucus for a Democrat completed over the weekend by PPP, and commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, voters say they are driven strongly by economic populism in their final voting decisions.

“During candidatesai??i?? closing statements last night, both Clinton and Sanders competed to embrace the mantle of economic populism, talking about the ai???rigged system,ai??i??” said Adam Green, PCCC co-founder, who is on the ground in Iowa for the Caucuses.

ai???Our new poll shows tapping into the growing economic populist tide in America is a winning strategy. A huge majority of Iowans are basing their vote tonight on candidatesai??i?? willingness to tackle income inequality, corporate power, and other powerful interests.

ai???Thatai??i??s why Democratic candidates for president are marching in an economic populist direction — competing to sound bolder on ideas like Wall Street reform, jailing bankers who broke the law, and other ai???Warren Wingai??i?? progressive priorities. No matter who wins the caucus, they will need a strong progressive platform to continue to win over Democratic voters for the nomination and win in November.”

PPP Poll Takeaways: Of Iowans who plan to caucus tonight for Democrats…

73% say ai???a candidateai??i??s willingness to strongly challenge powerful interestsai??? is ai???very importantai??? in how they vote.

Including 69% of Clinton voters and 87% of Sanders voters;

76% say ai???a candidateai??i??s willingness to challenge corporate power and take strong economic populist positionsai??? is ai???very importantai??? in how they vote.

Including 62% of Clinton voters and 86% of Sanders voters;

73% say ai???a candidateai??i??s commitment to addressing income inequalityai??? is ai???very importantai??? in how they vote.

Including 71% of Clinton voters, and 79% of Sanders voters.