Posted on 04/11/2017 5:39:27 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
If Democrats thought it was hard to stop President Donald Trump's first U.S. Supreme Court nominee, it promises to be even tougher for them if he gets to fill another vacancy, potentially to replace the most influential justice, Anthony Kennedy.
Kennedy, a conservative who sometimes sides with the court's liberals in key cases such as on gay rights and abortion, is one of three justices 78 or older. Justice Stephen Breyer is 78 and fellow liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 84.
Former Kennedy Supreme Court clerks said the justice, who turns 81 in July, may be pondering retirement either this year or in 2018.
That would give Trump a further chance to shape the court after his first nominee, Neil Gorsuch, was sworn in on Monday for the lifetime job to replace the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia after overcoming fierce Democratic opposition in the Senate confirmation process.
Kennedy administered Gorsuch's judicial oath at a White House ceremony, and Trump heaped praise on a justice who has spent nearly three decades on America's top court, calling him "a great man of outstanding accomplishment."
Gorsuch is one of Kennedy former clerks. Kennedy is planning a reunion of his clerks in June rather than next year as had been expected. Kennedy, through a court spokesman, declined to comment on his plans.
The implications for the court if Kennedy were to step down are enormous. For the past decade he been its swing vote in major cases. Gorsuch's confirmation restored the court's 5-4 conservative majority. If whenever Kennedy leaves the bench he is replaced by a stalwart conservative, that would move the court further to the right....
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
“Yep, nominate, 30 minutes of hearings and the vote. No more f*cking charades. Get on with it.”
I was thinking of a more generous 1500 minutes, which would give each Senator a 15 minute question and answer period. After all, this is for a lifetime appointment.
On the other hand,they all know now they’re going to vote before the hearings anyway, so what difference does it make, anyway?
I say nominate Cruz. High profile. Big fight.
If whenever Kennedy leaves the bench he is replaced by a stalwart...
Not if McCain has anything to do with it.
Traitor Roberts should fess up and retire.
Ditch one sad disappointment, for who knows what rationale.
I think he should nominate Rick Santorum to the court. Liberal heads would explode left and right.
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