Sen. Steve Daines celebrated Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation during his daughter Annie’s wedding by voting from afar, as seen in a video shared by his son Michael.
Does this count? #KavanaughConfirmed pic.twitter.com/q1r3cBnuzk
— mike daines (@michaeldaines) October 6, 2018
Michael Daines shared a brief video of Daines watching the Fox News broadcast of the vote. When Daines was called in Washington, Michael turned his phone back to his father, who said “aye.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
“Does this count? #KavanaughConfirmed,” Michael Daines wrote.
Thanks to Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Daines did not have to miss his daughter’s wedding to vote for Kavanaugh. On Friday, Murkowski said she would vote against Kavanaugh’s confirmation, but then switch her for to “present” so Daines could stay in Montana.
“I will be a ‘no’ tomorrow,” Murkowski said Friday afternoon, reports CNN. “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 tomorrow at just about the same hour we’re going to be voting, he’s going to be walking his daughter down the aisle and he won’t be present to vote.”
Senator Murkowski paired her vote with Senator Daines as he was necessarily absent. Had Daines been present, he would have voted aye. As he was unable to cast his vote, Murkowski voted no, then immediately withdrew her vote to be counted “present” (Riddick’s appendix p. 1526) pic.twitter.com/EjuU1o94Bb
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) October 6, 2018
Murkowski continued, “I have extended this as a courtesy to my friend. It will not change the outcome of the vote.”
The Alaska Republican later said she thought Kavanaugh was a “good man,” but, “I could not conclude that he was the right person for the court at this time, and this has been agonizing for me.”
On Saturday morning, Murkowski followed through with her promise, and Kavanaugh was confirmed 50-48. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was the only Democrat to vote for Kavanaugh, and no single senator was the deciding vote.
Before the vote on Kavanuagh, President Donald Trump took credit for Daines being able to stay in Montana for his daughter’s wedding.
“I have asked Steve Daines, our great Republican Senator from Montana, to attend his daughter Annie’s wedding rather than coming to today’s vote. Steve was ready to do whatever he had to, but we had the necessary number. To the Daines Family, congratulations-have a wonderful day,” Trump wrote.
I have asked Steve Daines, our great Republican Senator from Montana, to attend his daughter Annie’s wedding rather than coming to today’s vote. Steve was ready to do whatever he had to, but we had the necessary number. To the Daines Family, congratulations-have a wonderful day!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2018
Daines previously said Rep. Greg Gianforte offered his private jet if Daines had to rush to Washington this weekend to vote for Kavanaugh.
“My good friend and colleague, Greg, has come to save the day,” Daines told the Associated Press. “If I need to be in two places at once to walk my daughter down the aisle on her wedding day and to be the final vote to put Judge Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, he’s offered me use of his plane. I appreciate his generosity as well as his dedication to family and country.”
Kavanaugh, who was confirmed despite multiple allegations of sexual assault against him, will be sworn in during a private ceremony at the Supreme Court Saturday night. Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the Constitutional Oath, while Justice Anthony Kennedy, who Kavanaugh is replacing, will administer the Judicial Oath.
Photo credit: Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images
