Politics | Senate GOP Senators Gum Up Hearings With 2PM Rule They refuse consent to continue, invoking obscure rule By Nick McMaster Posted Mar 24, 2010 5:08 PM CDT Copied Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, left, walks with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., into the leader's office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 24, 2010. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg) Senate Republicans furious over the passage of health care reform are doing anything they can to keep Democrats from implementing more of Obama's agenda. Their latest move (used by Democrats in the past) is to invoke a little-known rule that requires unanimous consent for Senate hearings to continue past 2pm. Several hearings had to be stopped today, notes Time. "I could imagine a lot of smart ways to begin obstructing the chamber and making life miserable for Democrats," writes Ezra Klein at the Washington Post. "But declaring that you won't work after 2 p.m? Do Republicans really think the average American is going to rally to that battle cry?" And maybe it's time to get rid of these obscure and bizarre rules once and for all, he suggests. Read These Next Trump laid a 'trap' for Democrats, and GOP aims to pounce. CNN boss asks workers not to 'jump to conclusions' about deal. Christina Applegate pulls back the curtain on her real life. Men's, women's hockey players stick together after Trump joke. Report an error