Current Position: Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Years Legal Experience: 18
Home state: Illinois
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court of the United States. Garland is Chief Judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Senator Chuck Grassley is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is seeking his seventh term as senator. He has come under enormous scrutiny for declaring that no hearing would ever be held for a nominee from President Obama to the Supreme Court. After President Obama made his announcement, Grassley made the following statement:
“When they structured our nation, the founders placed trust in three separate but equal branches of government. Co-equal authorities are throughout the Constitution, including Article II, Section 2, where the power to nominate an individual to the Supreme Court is granted to the President and authority is given to the Senate to provide advice and consent. Nowhere in the Constitution does it describe how the Senate should either provide its consent or withhold its consent.
“Today the President has exercised his constitutional authority. A majority of the Senate has decided to fulfill its constitutional role of advice and consent by withholding support for the nomination during a presidential election year, with millions of votes having been cast in highly charged contests. As Vice President Biden previously said, it’s a political cauldron to avoid. Judge Bork learned even after being unanimously confirmed for a circuit court judgeship, the confirmation process for the Supreme Court is unlike any other.
“It’s also important to remember the type of nominee President Obama said he’s seeking. He says his nominee will arrive at ‘just decisions and fair outcomes’ based on the application of ‘life experience’ to the ‘rapidly changing times.’ The so-called empathy standard is not an appropriate basis for selecting a Supreme Court nominee.
“A lifetime appointment that could dramatically impact individual freedoms and change the direction of the court for at least a generation is too important to get bogged down in politics. The American people shouldn’t be denied a voice. Do we want a court that interprets the law, or do we want a court that acts as an unelected super legislature? This year is a tremendous opportunity for our country to have a sincere and honest debate about the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system of government.”
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President Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee, Chief Judge Merrick Garland, shares his story and his thoughts on being nominated to sit on the nation’s highest court:
17 thoughts on “President Obama makes Supreme Court nomination; Grassley won’t play ball”
The was a politically brilliant nomination by Obama. If the GOP rejects Garland they can kiss the Jewish vote good bye.
Chuck is a weasel. Show up for work every day and do your job. If the Constitution doesn’t count in this case don’t give us your phony defense of the Second Amendment, since by your reasoning there may be cases where that doesn’t apply either.
Will never vote for Grassley again after this stunt.
I felt the same way, but, I think I am changing my mind now. There is a lot more to this than people are aware of. The guy is 100% against the 2nd amendment and is nothing but a political plant by Obumer.
Conspiracy theories will ruin your day. Have a nice life, its short, enjoy every moment you have.
and those that live with their heads buried in the sand will live an even shorter life.
http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/d9/d95c5edfd98bedf47b7bd6195172dec45fd97cf834f9622dfaa3751c6e2ec26e.jpg
The demorat establishment is equally as crooked as the repukes establishment – therefore TRUMP 2016 SAVE AMERICA and cleanse our country of these tyrannts !!!
Just wait till Hillary defeats Trump. This will become a slam dunk followed by a two fer. You GOP idiots are better off sleeping with the enemy now (Obamas nominee) rather than getting screwed with Hillary’s multiple pics. Think about it!
Ditto. When Hillary is elected she will dominate someone much more liberal. Repubs should take the deal.
you mean sell your soul to the devil just so the devil won’t eat you?
This guy has already voted against the 2nd amendment in D.D. He is another liberal judge that would shade the constitution to the way he wants it. They will never allow him to get in.
Not surprising. An obstructionist is an obstructionist. This nominee could be the second coming of Jesus and these fools would turn him down.
Thank you Mr Grassley. Obama has nearly destroyed this country, he doesn’t deserve the chance to to destroy it permanently.
And Grassley help lead us there as you say!How long has he been part of it?Think about it.
I don’t trust obummer any farther then I could throw him. I wouldn’t doubt that he would stack the deck to go along with his personal agenda. With that being said. I’m agreeing with Grassley, and others on this subject.
Grassley needs to stop playing politics and go to work and earn the money we pay him. The President is doing his job by nominating somebody to fill the position on the Supreme Court. Now its the republicans turn to go to work and hold hearing and a public vote for or against this nominee on his merits.