Posted on 03/16/2016 8:33:34 AM PDT by Kaslin
resident Obama has nominated Federal Appeals Judge Merrick Garland to replace late Justice Antonin Scalia. Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is reconfirming the Committee's decision to deny any nominee confirmation hearings.
“The president has full and complete power to nominate individuals to the Supreme Court, as he will reportedly do later today,” Lee said in a statement. “But the Constitution also gives the Senate the full and complete power to reject or confirm the nominee,” Lee continued. “It’s as simple as that. In light of the contentious presidential election already well underway, my colleagues and I on the Judiciary Committee have already given our advice and consent on this issue: we will not have any hearings or votes on President Obama’s pick.”
“Any meeting with any nominee put forward by President Obama would only be a waste of the Senate’s time. The Court has very ably dealt with temporary absences in the past and will do so again now,” Lee continued.
It should be noted President Obama has a constitutional obligation to submit a Supreme Court nomination, but the Senate has no obligation to hold hearings or to confirm the nominee.
In February, Judiciary Committee Republicans sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell explaining their decision not to hold hearings.
"We intend to exercise the constitutional power granted the Senate under Article II, Section 2 to ensure the American people are not deprived of the opportunity to engage in a full and robust debate over the type of jurist they wish to decide some of the most critical issues of our time. Not since 1932 has the Senate confirmed in a presidential election year a Supreme Court nominee to a vacancy arising in that year. And it is necessary to go even further back — to 1888 — in order to find an election year nominee who was nominated and confirmed under divided government, as we have now," the Senators wrote. "Accordingly, given the particular circumstances under which this vacancy arises, we wish to inform you of our intention to exercise our constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee to the Supreme Court submitted by this President to fill Justice Scalia’s vacancy. Because our decision is based on constitutional principle and born of a necessity to protect the will of the American people, this Committee will not hold hearings on any Supreme Court nominee until after our next President is sworn in on January 20, 2017."
As for the rest of the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will issue a statement about Obama's nominee later today.
Trouble is, once McConnell caves and DOES allow a hearing, the RINOs in the Senate will melt like snow in the rain and whatever cockamamie bat-guano crazy liberal fruit loop is sent up by the Current Occupant will be confirmed with only a few dissenting votes by the full Senate.
Remember the ringing words of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), “We should not confirm any Bush nominee to the Supreme Court, except in extraordinary circumstances. They must prove by actions, not words, that they are in the mainstream rather than we have to prove that they are not.”
I have a little trouble with Senator Schumer’s definition of the “mainstream”, as well.
“So, the question to the R’s becomes: do you take Garland now, or do you get behind Trump to make sure you don’t end up with an Obama nomination next year?”
Doesn’t have to be either/or. We can Bork this guy and bring up every important issue all through campaign season. If we lose, we can take this guy instead of whoever the socialist is that beats us. If we win, we can take Trump’s measure by seeing who he wants, dismiss this guy and go with the better choice. Remember nominations can easily take a year. Bork’s did and he was still screwed.
Nah, just spike him. It’s more humiliating to a personality like Obama and infuriates the Progressives.
“Nah, just spike him. It’s more humiliating to a personality like Obama and infuriates the Progressives.”
No thanks. Rather have the best chance to come out on top. History will take care of that jug eared commie.
Stand tall Mike, and just say “NO”!
Pay back. Suck it!!
I was thinking the same. They all might be looking over there shoulder and wondering if Trump will be the next President. Also they see the way the voters are going and might want to hang on to their cushy jobs and not piss off the voters by looking like a bunch of limp wrist Dems.
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