WASHINGTON _ Mitch McConnell had been defying the president and the president's son-in-law _ along with the Republican Party in his own home state _ as he refused to allow a vote on an overhaul of the nation's criminal justice laws.
The Senate Majority Leader relented Tuesday and agreed to allow a vote _ and his colleagues were quick to line up and claim credit for influencing the Senate's most powerful figure.
What pushed McConnell, R-Ky., was a collective effort, by Republicans and Democrats, home state supporters and lobbyists, and the White House.