Today, after the U.S. Senate voted that President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee was unfit to be appointed, Republicans in the Senate took an extreme step to undermine the official nomination process by invoking the nuclear option, which will destroy the traditional 60-vote filibuster precedent.

"Republicans are choosing to change the rules to force a Supreme Court nominee with a radical record to the bench," said DPNM Chairwoman Debra Haaland. "We're proud that New Mexico's U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich have taken a principled stance against Trump's nominee based on his record. It's clear that Gorsuch will not be impartial and will use his position on the bench for corporate interests. It's important that any Supreme Court nominee be independent and will stand up for the rights of all Americans, Gorsuch is not that nominee."

This Supreme Court nomination comes on the heels of Senate Republicans' refusal to give President Obama's nominee a hearing deceptively citing the election year as a reason. According to the Congressional Research Service, the six nominations made to vacancies that existed during presidential election years since 1900, each was confirmed by the Senate.

U.S. Senator Tom Udall statement on Gorsuch: LINK

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich statement on Gorsuch: LINK