Lisa Murkowski thinks the nominee deserves to be vetted by the Senate.
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And for vulnerable GOP senators, several Republicans argued that it would be much better politically for those members to avoid a vote, rather than have to cast a judgment on the merits of nominee who could be well-qualified and well-liked. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that that ends up in a vote”.
The Supreme Court heard about 150 cases in those years – nearly twice as many as today – and Blackmun had to deal with hundreds of appeals in which his vote would determine whether or the not the case was heard. Supreme Court vacancies in presidential years are rare, largely because the justices avoid retiring when prospects for confirming successors are uncertain. He and the others may feel some pressure to demonstrate otherwise, and that could manifest itself in a greater search for compromise, said Michael D. Zimmerman, a former Utah Supreme Court justice and clerk to Chief Justice Warren Burger in 1969-70.
Moderate Republican Sens. Mark Kirk of IL and Susan Collins of ME have similarly been hesitant to join the party-line, calling for restraint, though not necessarily confirmation hearings.
“I would wait until the nominee is made before I would make any decision”, Grassley said.
“To just say “no” right out of the chute, and to say we’re not going to do anything, we’re going to leave it to the next president, I think just is not doing our job in the U.S. Senate”, he told MTN News.
The top White House spokesman said Wednesday that President Obama “regrets” his 2006 decision to filibuster the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court – after being accused of hypocrisy for blasting “obstructionist” Republicans now vowing to block his next high court nominee. “There are plenty of judges who are on high courts already who have have unanimous support of the Republicans”.
Murkowski asserted that Grassley “does intend to conduct hearings” on the eventual nominee to replace Scalia. Some have argued that “lame duck” presidents do not traditionally nominate Supreme Court justices, but Obama has almost 11 months left to his term in the White House.
In order to bring in a new justice, the president must offer a nomination. A Democratic-controlled Senate confirmed Kennedy Feb. 3, 1988, by a vote of 97-0. Another benefit: presidential elections just once every six years!
HORSLEY: Now, Obama said he understands the stakes here. “This will be a test of whether rules, norms, and fair play can function at all in Washington”, he said.
“The Constitution is pretty clear about what is supposed to happen now”, Obama said, reiterating that presidents have always had the right to appoint new Supreme Court justices.
Scalia, appointed by Reagan in 1986, was known as a conservative and sharp-tongued, intellectual heavyweight on the court.
“They’re saying they’re not going to allow us to do anything”.
The court would be unable to issue nationwide rulings on any issue in which the justices split 4-4.
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Scalia, the court’s most conservative voice, died of natural causes as he relaxed at the Cibolo Creek Ranch in Texas as the guest of millionaire businessman John Poindexter.
