In the document, Garland lists basic information such as education, memberships and a list of all of the jobs he’s had.
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Garland, who now serves as the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, details that he hasn’t played a political role in a campaign since he volunteered for presidential candidates Bill Clinton in October 1992, Michael Dukakis in October 1988 and Walter Mondale in 1983 and 1984. He also lists his 2008 opinion in Parhat v. Gates, which struck down a decision by a combatant status review tribunal to designate a Chinese Uighur held at Guantanamo Bay as an enemy combatant under the Detainee Treatment Act. But because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the committee’s objection to holding a hearing, the White House volunteered to send one on its own. Chuck Grassley, the blockade has largely held firm.
One question asks him to describe the “most significant litigated matters” he handled when he served at the Justice Department from 1993-1997 before becoming a judge. Senate Republicans have maintained that the next president should choose the Scalia’s replacement.
In the typical high-court confirmation process, the submission of the questionnaire is a low-drama event a disclosure of pertinent facts about the nominee in prelude to the klieg lights of Senate hearings. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said at the press conference. “It’s official. Senator Grassley is refusing to do his job because he wants Donald Trump – a racist, sexist, misogynistic, nativist, isolationist, pathological liar…to make the next appointment to the Supreme Court”, said Brad Woodhouse, the group’s president.
About an hour after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia was confirmed in February, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shaped the tone of his party’s refusal to consider any person President Obama would nominate for the open seat on the court. But he said that would not keep him from supporting Trump.
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The court continues to hear cases with only eight justices. ” Sen. Dick Durbin later joked Trump might bring Judge Judy out of retirement if given the opportunity to appoint someone to the Supreme Court”. Flake told reporters he would read Garland’s questionnaire and further expressed doubt about Trump’s qualifications to serve as president. But the principle is to have the most conservative, qualified jurists that we can have on the Supreme Court, not that the people ought to decide before the next election. “I think most Republicans, obviously I can’t speak for others, but for myself, I may be willing to roll the dice”, Flake said.
