Orrin Hatch: We must protect the filibuster

“Are you kidding?” he said with some vehemence. “I’m one of the biggest advocates for the filibuster. It’s the only way to protect the minority, and we’ve been in the minority a lot more than we’ve been in the majority. It’s just a great, great protection for the minority.”

Hatch, the most senior member of the GOP, presides over the Senate every morning as the president pro tempore, making him third in the line of succession to the White House. He’s also chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Hatch’s unequivocal support for the filibuster does not guarantee there won’t be changes to it, however.

Asked about reforming the minority party blockade, famous filibusterer Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) responded, “We’ll see.”