Senate Democrats want to delay a Friday vote on Scott Pruitt's nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after a judge ordered the Oklahoma attorney general's records to be released next week.

He added that delaying the nomination until Feb. 27 "wouldn't delay the businesses of the Senate at all" because lawmakers are out of town next week.

The Senate is expected to take a final vote Friday afternoon on Pruitt after the Senate voted 54-46 a day earlier to advance his nomination.

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The final vote comes days before Pruitt's office is expected to have to turn over documents requested roughly two years go.

Judge Aletia Haynes Timmons, based in Oklahoma City, ordered the release of up to 3,000 documents by Tuesday in response to a request by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) under Oklahoma’s Open Records Act, E&E News reported.

Democrats argue the emails could shed new light on Pruitt's ties to the oil and gas industry that he will be tasked with helping regulate as EPA administrator.

Democrats pulled an all-night protest from the Senate floor to voice their opposition to Pruitt ahead of the final vote.

"The majority leader is asking his people to vote aye on a very, very difficult case," he said.

But McConnell quickly shut down any speculation that he would delay the vote, arguing that Democrats were trying to buy more time in an effort to sink Pruitt's nomination.

"The effort has been to delay the nominations that they have made controversial as long as possible," he said. "They want to have Pruitt out there over the recess so all their supporters can express themselves."