Posted on 02/13/2016 6:24:27 PM PST by jazusamo
Senate Democrats moved quickly Saturday to demand action on a Supreme Court nominee following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called Scalia a "brilliant man" and "dedicated jurist" in a statement and said the work on filling his vacancy should begin immediately.
"The President can and should send the Senate a nominee right away. With so many important issues pending before the Supreme Court, the Senate has a responsibility to fill vacancies as soon as possible," Reid said. "It would be unprecedented in recent history for the Supreme Court to go a year with a vacant seat. Failing to fill this vacancy would be a shameful abdication of one of the Senate's most essential Constitutional responsibilities."
Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said the American people deserve to have a fully functioning Supreme Court.
"Although I often did not agree with his legal opinions, no one doubted his commitment or his brilliance," Leahy said of Scalia. "I hope that no one will use this sad news to suggest that the President or the Senate should not perform its constitutional duty."
Leahy said the Supreme Court is far too important to the nation's democratic system to be left understaffed for partisan reasons.
"It is only February," he said. "The President and the Senate should get to work without delay to nominate, consider and confirm the next justice to serve on the Supreme Court."
A spokesman for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a conservative who sits on the Judiciary panel, said on Twitter after the news of Scalia's death that no nominee from Obama should be considered. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a presidential candidate, echoed Lee in a statement.
"The next president must nominate a justice who will continue Justice Scalia's unwavering belief in the founding principles that we hold dear."
"Today, our nation has suffered a deep loss," he said. "Justice Scalia was one of the most consequential Americans in our history and a brilliant legal mind who served with only one objective: to interpret and defend the Constitution as written."
The conservative Judicial Crisis Network said President Obama should be the last person to appoint Scalia's successor.
"This president, who has shown such contempt for the Constitution and the laws, is the last person who should be appointing his successor," Carrie Severino, the group's chief counsel and policy director, said in a statement. "The American people on both sides of the aisle are disgusted with the status quo in Washington and another nomination by this President would just bring about more of the same."
Severino said the next presidential should make the appointment.
"The people's voice should be heard in November to determine who will appoint the next Supreme Court Justice," she said.
And we must shoot them out of the air, it would be nice to have some time to mourn a great man, but whatareyougonnado.
Bite me, Dirty Harry.
Not really. Dims see a chance and they pounce.
Don’t worry, they will. With Mitch at the helm you can count on it.
All we have to ask is, WWHRD: What would Harry Reed do?
All we have to ask is, WWHRD: What would Harry Reed do?
The difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Democrats take their politics seriously. The only Democrat trait worthy of emulation.
...GOP had better not fold on this...
How many times have we said that?
LOL. The GOP will DEFINITELY fold like a cheap suit on this. Mark my words.
If the Republicans allow Obama to give my country the middle finger as he walks out the door we’re doomed.
Hussein should fool the GOPee and nominate Ted Cruz.
However in this case you can bet that Hillary is just drooling over the nominee being delayed until the next President takes office.
The GOPe is going to make this a two phased disaster.
First, they are going to stonewall and try to deny a sitting president his Constitutional right to name a Supreme Court justice, even though it will mean leaving a vacancy open for over a year. Further compounding this will be the fact that the nominee will be a highly qualified minority.
Second, after a tremendous amount of political damage has been inflicted (likely leading to a loss of the majority) the GOP Senate will cave and go ahead and confirm the President’s nominee anyway.
The GOPe is so stupid.
I wonder if little bammy will even fly the flag at half mast?
Seems like all he ever does that for is mass shootings...
.
OR, the GOPe, standing on 80 years of BIPARTISAN precedence— will NOT allow a nomination to proceed in the last year of the last term of a presidency. Stand on precedence that KNOWS NO PARTY line— you know... true bipartisanship the chickenshiites can live with sanctimoniously. Or will they actually WORK to lose a good playing hand?
What the??
Nobody is “denying a sitting president his Constitutional right to name a Supreme Court justice” .... the Senate is just putting that nomination on indefinite hold, like Haryy Reid did many times ... don’t remember anyone in the Media complaining back then
The media will complain about this like you have never seen before...and the GOPe will cave.
Yep, no doubt at all.
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