McConnell spokesman Don Stewart says the Senate’s majority leader spoke to nominee Merrick Garland by phone on Wednesday.
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U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, said that “as we are in the midst of a national election, it is my personal preference that this nomination be left to our next president”.
“The next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country”, McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor.
Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullin said allowing Obama to appoint the new justice would “rob the American people of their voice”.
Coats, who does not seek re-election, said his stance was based in part by “the precedent established by Democratic leadership” – namely Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen.
None of the four senators from Minnesota and North Dakota were in office in 1997, when the Senate confirmed Garland’s appointment to the appeals bench 76-23.
“I’ve made my decision”, Obama said in an email to supporters early Wednesday. Why would we deny the voters a chance to weigh in on the make-up of the Supreme Court?
“Any Obama nominee, like this one, will support the president’s regulatory agenda, which is counter to the interests of North Dakota”, Hoeven said.
The Utah Republican did leave open the possibility of considering the nominee after the November general election but said the Supreme Court shouldn’t be used as a “battering ball back and forth on both sides” and that next year is a better time to consider filling Scalia’s seat. On that committee is Republican Senator Orin Hatch, who happens to like Garland.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said senators may vote against the nominee if they don’t believe he is qualified, but that they have a constitutional responsibility to hold a hearing and vote on the matter.
The Supreme Court is now divided evenly among justices deemed “liberal” and “conservative”. Unfortunately, the Senate is not budging and still unanimously vows to not appoint a nominee, opting to wait until the next president is sworn in.
“The death of Justice Antonin Scalia is an enormous loss for the Supreme Court, but more importantly for our nation”.
“What we’re going to be doing over the next months in the United States Senate – this is not about a person or Judge Garland or anybody else”.
Insalaco also said he knows Garland personally and knows of his integrity, his legal ability, his acumen and his honesty.
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The president told supporters that his nominee “deserves a fair hearing, and an up-or-down vote”.
