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U.S. NEWSWednesday 24 February
Republican senators: No hearing or vote for Obama court pick
ANDREW TAYLOR Committee’s recommen- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, joined by, from second for left are, Sen.
MARY JALONICK dation to not have hear- Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas,
Associated Press ings. In short, there will not laughs while meeting with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, following
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- be action taken,” McCon- a closed-door policy meeting.
publicans on the Sen- nell told reporters.
ate Judiciary Commit- Even the most divisive (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
tee on Tuesday ruled out nominees for the high court
any hearing for President have received a hearing
Barack Obama’s nominee before the Judiciary Com-
to the Supreme Court, in- mittee, and the election-
sisting that the choice rests year decision to deny such
with the president’s succes- a session is a sharp break
sor. with the Senate’s tradition-
“Because our decision is al “advise and consent”
based on constitutional role. A committee review
principle and born of a ne- and a hearing is the first
cessity to protect the will step in the process.
of the American people, Antonin Scalia’s Feb. 13
this committee will not hold death ignited a major fight
hearings on any Supreme in Washington over wheth-
Court nominee until after er Obama should be able
our next president is sworn to replace him in a presi-
in on January 20, 2017,” dential election year. He
they said in a letter to Ma- had been dead only for a
jority Leader Mitch McCon- few hours when McConnell
nell. announced that he would
“I agree with the Judiciary oppose replacing him be-
fore the election. tial candidate Ted Cruz,
Obama is expected to an- and the Texas senator has
nounce a nomination in vowed to block any nomi-
the next few weeks. nee.
The Republicans’ action White House spokes-
is certain to have reper- man Josh Earnest said it
cussions, not only in the was “absolutely” still pos-
presidential race but in sible the Senate would
congressional contests hold hearings, pointing
where vulnerable Senate to a handful of Repub-
incumbents in Illinois, Wis- licans who he said had
consin, Ohio, Pennsylva- expressed a willingness,
nia and New Hampshire including Kirk, Susan Col-
face tough Democratic lins of Maine, Dan Coats of
challengers. At least one Indiana and Roy Blunt of
of those senators, Republi- Missouri.
can Mark Kirk of Illinois, has Earnest said Obama has
suggested holding hear- spoken to Republican law-
ings. makers, including some on
But Republican members the committee, in recent
of the committee met with days.
McConnell and emerged Republicans pointed to a
with a simple message: 1992 speech by Vice Presi-
“No hearing, no vote,” dent Joe Biden, then the
said Sen. Lindsey Graham. chairman of the Judiciary
Confirmation hearings for Committee, in which he
a Supreme Court nomi- said that in a presidential
nee are the most high- election year the Senate
profile in the Senate, and should “not consider hold-
any session is certain to ing hearings until after the
be a spectacle. Among election.” As it turned out,
the members of the panel there was no opening on
is Republican presiden- the court that year.q
