The old technique is called “Pairing”:
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski announced that although she opposes Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation, she will be listed as ‘present’ in the final vote tomorrow so that Montana Senator Steve Daines can stay at his daughter’s wedding. The announcement comes hours after [Republican Senator] Daines revealed he was willing to jet to Washington after walking his daughter down the aisle, in order to confirm Kavanaugh if needed. Thanks to Murkowski – a crucial Republican swing vote – he will no longer have to following her ‘agonizing and close call’ decision.
‘I will be a no today and a no tomorrow,’ she said during a press conference on the Senate floor on Friday evening. ‘I will, in the final tally, be asked to be recorded as present and I do this because a friend, a colleague of ours is in Montana this evening and … he’s going to be walking his daughter down the aisle and he won’t be present to vote. I have extended this as a courtesy to my friend. It will not change the outcome of the vote,’ she added.
Pairing – a technique his is allowed in the Senate whereby if a Senator is going to vote one way but cannot be present, a “favor” is proffered by a colleague who would have vote opposite to that person and simply vote “present” instead. Their votes would have cancelled each other – and the offer of “pairing” on behalf of the person has to be absent like Daines w(ho has one of best reasons – his daughter’s wedding), IMHO, is chivalrous. I watched the Confirmation Vote in the US Senate in real time – she honored her word.
I may not like Murkowski’s RINOism but this gesture must be applauded.
(H/T: Daily Mail)
