Columnist Charles Krauthammer ripped President Obama for suggesting his nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court Wednesday was about competence, saying that the gesture was purely about power over principle.
Advertisement
Judge Garland led the investigation and prosecution that followed the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, which ultimately led to the conviction of Timothy McVeigh. He’s been considered for the Supreme Court twice before, but not nominated.
Even before the White House’s announcement about the Garland nomination Wednesday, the Iowa senator had vowed to not consider whoever Obama would nominate to the Supreme Court.
“It is a president’s constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court justice, and it is the Senate’s constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent”, GOP majority leader Sen.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told Newsmax on Friday that President Obama wouldn’t nominate a “moderate” like Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. As for the timing of the nominees, it is true that it is unusual to have a nominee appointed and confirmed in an election year, but it has definitely been done many times in American history. Either way, our view is this: “Give the people a voice in filling this vacancy”, McConnell said. Garland has served for 19 years on United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and became its chief judge in 2013. They want to stall the process until after the election, in hopes that a Republican president will choose Scalia’s successor. The Republican National Committee on Monday announced the formation of a task force that will work with an outside conservative group to spearhead attack ads and other ways of pushing back against Obama’s choice.
President Obama described Garland as “one of America’s sharpest minds”, and described how he has received bipartisan respect in Washington from his years of service. “He said, ‘I’ve been asked that many times, and I feel like I am'”. Richard Lugar – voted to confirm Garland and 23 Republicans opposed the nomination. “We should do the job we were elected to do”. He issued a statement that outlines the nomination process, including the fact that the House does not have any direct say in the appointment.
Advertisement
“Any Obama nominee, like this one, will support the president’s regulatory agenda, which is counter to the interests of North Dakota”, Hoeven said.
