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Reid warns Saturday vote possible on CIA nominee Brennan
A Saturday vote on John Brennan's nomination to lead the CIA is possible, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned Thursday.
Reid said he’s still hopeful that he can reach an agreement with Republicans to hold the vote Thursday, but warned he'd keep the Senate in town if necessary to get to a final up-or-down vote.
Reid frequently warns the Senate of possible Saturday votes, but rarely follows through.
The new threat comes a day after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) filibustered Brennan’s nomination for more than 12 hours.
Reid said Paul had every right to filibuster to try and get answers to his questions on the U.S. drone program.
"I have been involved in a few filibusters, as Rand Paul did yesterday," Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday morning. "And what I have learned from my experiences in talking filibusters is this: to succeed, you need strong convictions but also a strong bladder. It's obvious Senator Paul has both."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) spoke in support of Paul’s filibuster on Thursday morning, calling it, “extended, heartfelt and important.”
McConnell said Paul’s question as to whether the president believes he has the authority to kill a U.S. citizen without due process is “entirely appropriate.”
“What is befuddling is why the Attorney General [Eric Holder] has not directly and clearly answered the question,” McConnell said. “There is no reason we cannot get this question answered today, and we should get this question answered today. Frankly, it should have been answered a long time ago.”
