In 2016, the Republican-controlled Senate blocked Obama’s attempt to put a liberal justice onto the Supreme Court. They made the reasonable claim that it was not the right time, given the impending election.
As a result, President Trump nominated and got appointed Neil Gorsuch. Now, it’s possible another vacancy might arise during this election year.
And Lindsey Graham is upsetting the Democrats with his new plan.
From The Hill:
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the Senate would work to confirm a Supreme Court nominee this year if a vacancy arises, saying the circumstances are different from 2016, when Republicans blocked then-President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland.
Boom! Lindsey Graham announced that if a vacancy to the SCOTUS arises this year, he and the Senate “would work” to confirm a nominee.
This appears to contradict Republicans’ reasoning from 2016, but he had an explanation.
In 2016, it appeared Obama was trying to quickly get someone into the court before he left office.
His nominee was a liberal judge, who would have replaced the late Antonin Scalia, a great conservative justice.
Graham explained with a president from one party and the Senate in control of another party, it wasn’t right to rush through the appointment process.
But with Trump in office and Republicans in charge of the Senate, there will be less need for conflict or debate. It would be hard to argue that Republican senators need prolonged hearings to confirm a Trump pick.
Oh, I’m sure Democrats are just seething. They are hoping against hope that Biden takes the White House and puts more liberals back on the court to protect their precious causes.
But if there is an open seat this year, they will lose their chance. There may not be another opening for years.
Already, Donald Trump has tipped the scales of the Supreme Court by appointing two new justices. If he has another crack at it, you better believe the court will be conservative (and Constitutionally-minded) for decades to come.
All the more reason for patriots to ensure Biden gets nowhere near the Oval Office!
https://thepatriotjournal.com/lindsey-democrats-scotus-vacancy/?utm_source=dcs&utm_medium=email