The sudden death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia created an immediate vacancy on the most important court in the United States.
Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution says the president of the United States nominates justices to the Supreme Court, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
When Justice Scalia died, 342 days remained in President Barack Obama’s term.
How did the majority party in the U.S. Senate respond?
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) on March 16, 2016, pledged that the Senate would not consider Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.
Really? Why not?
According to the Feb. 15 New York Times, since 1900, the Senate has voted on eight Supreme Court nominees during an election year and, on average, a nominee has been confirmed, rejected or withdrawn within 25 days.
According to the Feb. 13 Times, the Senate has never taken more than 125 days to vote on a successor from the time of nomination.
But then, on Oct. 17, 2016, less than a month before the election, Sen. John McCain (R) pledged to obstruct any Clinton Supreme Court nomination for the current or any future vacancy should the Democratic candidate be elected.
Now, the majority party is anxious to hold confirmation hearings for Donald Trump’s nominee for the court.
Republican and Democratic senators take the same oath of office to uphold the U.S. Constitution, but it appears there are two versions: the one that Republicans choose to follow and the one for everyone else.
Paula Doherty,
Port Angeles