In order to be seated by the next SCOTUS session there exist a deadline. If it extends beyond Thursday, he will not be seated. And politically there will not be another chance to appoint anyone they will not lynch.
SCOTUS session starts Oct 1- Monday. He needs to be voted and sworn in prior to that.
I must be missing something. Many justices are approved after October 1.
What if the vote happened in October? He may not be seated for this session, but wouldn’t he be able to participate in all future sessions?
It doesn’t make sense that he wouldn’t be eligible at all...
Not correct.
They do not begin hearing cases until December. He can still be seated for the next session.