During the Senate Judiciary Committee’s first business meeting since Scalia’s death, Grassley quoted at length from a 1992 Senate floor speech by Joe Biden, who chaired the Judiciary panel at the time, urging President Bush to consider not nominating a replacement should a Supreme Court opening arise before the election.
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Democratic Senate leaders have let loose a barrage of criticism of Republicans over their stance that Obama shouldn’t be allowed to nominate a third Supreme Court justice, keeping the seat vacant until a new president is elected.
The Supreme Court nomination battle is likely to dominate the final months of Obama’s presidency.
Justice Samuel Alito says he felt like a spy waiting on a street corner for a auto to drive him to a secret White House meeting. An announcement of Obama’s selection could come as soon as next week.
Srinivasan, 49, would be the court’s first Asian-American and its first Hindu. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer echoed Obama’s statements saying they are optimistic the Republicans will see the light on the issue. He said waiting to confirm the next Supreme Court justice next year after the election would be “very reasonable” and “probably the fairest thing to do”. An Indian figures prominently in that elite shortlist – Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
“The position taken by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who refuse to consider any nominee put forward by the president is unprecedented and is inconsistent with the roles of the president and the Senate as envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution”, said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
As Obama appointments, neither comes with long records on the bench, leaving their judicial philosophies somewhat ambiguous. End Citizens United, dedicated to overturning the Supreme Court decision that unleashed unlimited campaign spending by corporations and unions, has aired commercials pressing Ayotte and Sen. He was confirmed 97-0 to the D.C. Circuit in 2013. He previously worked as a prosecutor and in private practice.
The spot criticizes Kelly for her defense of a man facing child pornography charges who authorities said had previously admitted to molesting a young girl.
It was unclear whether the other two other candidates who had been expected to be interviewed by Obama, federal appeals court judge Jane Kelly and federal trial judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, were now out of the running altogether.
With the court’s 4-4 balance between liberal and conservative justices in play, both parties and their allies are reaching out to rally their memberships, solicit contributions and savage the opposition.
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President Barack Obama’s search appears to be focused on a small group of appellate court judges with a history of bipartisan backing.
