Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the American people must have a voice in November on filling the Supreme Court vacancy.
In a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, the Kentucky Republican made it clear that the GOP-led Senate will not consider President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, but will wait until after the next president is in place.
McConnell said the view of the GOP is “give the people a voice in the filling of this vacancy.”
Democrats and the White House are pressuring the GOP to act. Obama, in announcing his nominee, said Garland would be making the customary visit to Capitol Hill to meet with senators on Thursday. The Senate is planning a two-week break at the end of the week.
(AP)
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4 Responses
Looks like the senator needs to review the Constitution, the people don’t appoint Supreme Court judges, the President and the Senate do
#1: So does Obama. He can appoint someone, but it’s up to the Senate whether to confirm or not. They have no obligation to be the President’s rubber stamp! The whole process stinks, but after the circus the Democrats have run ever since they rejected Robert Bork, one of the most learned and talented jurists of the last half of the 20th century, and after they allowed judicial benches to remain vacant throughout Bush II’s Presidency, they’re now having to choke down their own medicine.
The “Biden Rule” would logically seem to apply more to when Congress is being reelected. The House has elections every 2 years, but has not role in approving presidential appointments. Senators have a six-year term, but elecitons take place every 2 years. So which years did Biden suppose were not “electoralized”?
Maybe he was speaking without thinking too much about what he was saying?
In any case, the Senate is currently controlled by Republicans, but might just not be next year. So what exactly are these clever men trying to prove – or are they playing political games with justice?
The so-called “Biden rule” is not a rule. It was never enacted by the Senate or by any committee. It’s merely a statement Biden made. McConnell knows that and is making up a “rule” purely for political reasons.