U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune to fire Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after her ruling blocked the inclusion of voter identification provisions in a budget bill. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
Details
Trump stated that MacDonough is allegedly making decisions to the detriment of Republicans and emphasized that the Senate has the right to replace her. According to the President, the parliamentarian's latest decision became an obstacle to advancing one of his key priorities in the field of electoral legislation.
At the same time, John Thune came to the official's defense. He noted that her decisions have repeatedly affected the interests of both Republicans and Democrats, and that the parliamentarian's job is to provide an impartial interpretation of procedural rules.
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Previously, MacDonough's rulings have also blocked certain legislative initiatives by Democrats, particularly regarding immigration policy and raising the minimum wage.
Elizabeth MacDonough plays a vital role in determining which provisions can be passed by a simple majority vote within budget bills. Trump believes that replacing the parliamentarian could simplify the advancement of his legislative agenda; however, the Senate Republican leadership does not currently support such an idea.