‘Given that we are in the midst of the presidential election process, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I believe that it is today the American people who are best-positioned to help make this important decision — rather than a lame-duck president whose priorities and policies they just rejected in the most-recent national election.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor yesterday regarding the Supreme Court's vacancy:
“I recently joined my good friend from Iowa, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, in writing an opinion piece.
“We expressed our joint view that the death of Justice Scalia represented a significant loss for our country and that, while finding the right person to take the seat he occupied will clearly be a monumental task, it's one we think the American people are more than equipped to tackle.
“Some disagree and would rather the Senate simply push through yet another lifetime appointment from a president who's on his way out the door.
“Of course it’s within the president’s authority to nominate a successor even in this very rare circumstance — remember that the Senate has not filled a vacancy arising in an election year when there was divided government since 1888, almost 130 years ago — but we also know that Article II, Section II of the Constitution grants the Senate the right to withhold its consent, as it deems necessary.
“It’s clear that concern over confirming Supreme Court nominations made near the end of a presidential term is not new. Given that we are in the midst of the presidential election process, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I believe that it is today the American people who are best-positioned to help make this important decision — rather than a lame-duck president whose priorities and policies they just rejected in the most-recent national election.”
