Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is preparing to use the “nuclear option” to clear a logjam of Trump nominees due to unprecedented Democratic Party obstruction in the Senate.

Thune is setting the stage to use the parliamentary maneuver in order to lower the filibuster threshold for confirming large batches of lower-level presidential nominees, marking the latest use of the so-called “nuclear option” in the upper chamber’s history.

Now, Thune is expected to apply the tactic to expedite confirmation of dozens of Trump administration nominees for subcabinet and lower-level positions. Continues…