White House press secretary Josh Earnest raised eyebrows during today’s press briefing by suggesting that Democrats would be “justified” to take revenge on the GOP blockade against Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland by blocking a possible GOP president’s nomination for the president’s full term.
Advertisement
Paul Gordon, senior legislative counsel for People for the American Way, said Risch and Crapo were using a double standard by encouraging the Senate to confirm David Nye as a new federal judge for Idaho while refusing to even meet with Garland.
“The confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is one of the most solemn tasks that our government performs”.
“…the [the President] shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States…”
“I believe that having the people weigh in in November is the right thing to do, given that we’re in the midst of a vigorous presidential election”, she said. We can talk about the history, we can talk about the Constitution, we can debate all that.
“They are setting up a scenario that could hamstring Republican presidents in the future”, Earnest said. Mike Crapo said earlier that they opposed Garland because he had not been a strong supporter of gun rights. But there have been no new calls among Republicans for the Senate to grant the nominee a hearing or a vote.
Advertisement
Senate Democrats are keeping the letter open for signatures and encouraging Republican senators to sign it and allow the process to move forward on the nomination of Merrick Garland. “That means I will not advocate for hearings or a vote, nor will I support filling the vacancy with President Obama’s pick after the election”. Portman said he told Garland why he wouldn’t be supporting his Supreme Court bid. “We need Senator McCain to follow Senator Flake’s lead and meet with Judge Garland”, said Phoenix attorney Freddy Saavedra, who leads the Arizona/Nevada region of the National Hispanic Bar Association. “People wring their hands and say, ‘Oh, that’s bad, you shouldn’t bring politics into it.’ How do you not bring politics into it?” “So I was very much a leader there”. Maine’s Republican Sen. Susan Collins became the second to ignore McConnell’s orders, and after she met with Garland she announced that she has become “more convinced than ever” that the nominee should get a hearing.
