• About Us
  • Contact Us
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
  • breaking news today
    • Politics news
    • Sports
    • Science News & Society
  • Entertainment News
    • Movie
    • Gaming
  • Technology News
    • Automotive
    • Software & IT
  • Health News
    • Lifestyle
    • Insurance
  • Finance News
    • Money
  • Enterprise
  • Contact Us
  • breaking news today
    • Politics news
    • Sports
    • Science News & Society
  • Entertainment News
    • Movie
    • Gaming
  • Technology News
    • Automotive
    • Software & IT
  • Health News
    • Lifestyle
    • Insurance
  • Finance News
    • Money
  • Enterprise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
TodayHeadline
No Result
View All Result

Democrats seek swift confirmation to fill Supreme Court seat

2 years ago
in Politics news
Reading Time: 5 mins read



Senate Democrats who have played defense for the last three Supreme Court vacancies plan to move swiftly to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer using the rapid 2020 confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett as a new standard.

Barrett was confirmed exactly a month after President Donald Trump nominated her to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — and just five weeks after Ginsburg’s death in September of that year. Democrats sharply criticized that timeline then, arguing that most confirmations had taken much longer and that Republicans were trying to jam the nomination through in case Trump lost reelection.

But now that they hold the presidency and the Senate, though just barely, Democrats navigating the complicated politics of a 50-50 chamber are eyeing a similarly swift schedule, even if Breyer does not officially step down until the summer.

In statements, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., made clear that they would move quickly once President Joe Biden makes his pick. Biden said as a candidate that if he were given the chance to nominate someone to the court, he would make history by choosing a Black woman. The White House has reiterated Biden’s campaign pledge since his election.

Schumer said the nominee will “be considered and confirmed by the full United States Senate with all deliberate speed.” Durbin said he looks forward to moving the nomination ”expeditiously” through the committee.

The nomination offers the chance at a reset for Biden and the Democratic Senate after Barrett’s confirmation left the court with a new 6-3 conservative majority and as they have struggled to pass key planks of Biden’s policy agenda. Democrats hope to replace the 83-year-old liberal justice without complication, and some Republicans may be willing to support a Biden nominee. But Democratic leaders are keenly aware that the death or illness of just one in their ranks could flip control of the Senate and upend their plans.

The Senate plans to launch the confirmation process as soon as Biden makes the nomination, regardless of when Breyer officially steps away, according to a Senate aide who was not authorized to publicly discuss the planning and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Democrats could quickly hold committee hearings and even a full vote in the Senate before Breyer steps down, the aide said. The Senate would just refrain from sending the president the paperwork on the final confirmation vote until Breyer has retired.

With such a narrow majority, Schumer will face heavy pressure to keep his caucus united. Two Democratic moderates, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have repeatedly bucked their party on policy goals and could oppose a Supreme Court nominee if they considered that person too liberal.

In a statement, Manchin said he takes the Senate’s role to advise and consent on Supreme Court nominations “very seriously” and looks forward to meeting and evaluating the eventual nominee.

At the same time, Democrats will be hoping for a handful of Republican votes. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, for example, all voted last year to confirm U.S. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of Biden’s possible nominees.

Graham indicated in a statement Wednesday that he’s unlikely to support Biden’s pick, whoever it may be.

“If all Democrats hang together — which I expect they will — they have the power to replace Justice Breyer in 2022 without one Republican vote in support,” Graham said. “Elections have consequences, and that is most evident when it comes to fulfilling vacancies on the Supreme Court.”

It will be the first time Democrats have had a Senate majority and the opportunity to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in more than 11 years. Since Justice Elana Kagan was confirmed in 2010, the GOP-led Senate has confirmed three justices, all nominated in Trump’s term: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett.

All three of those confirmation battles were bitter for Democrats.

Gorsuch was confirmed a year after Republicans blocked President Barack Obama’s choice to serve on the court, now-Attorney General Merrick Garland. Kavanaugh was confirmed after a wrenching hearing in which a high school acquaintance, Christine Blasey Ford, charged that he had sexually assaulted her; Kavanaugh angrily denied it.

Barrett was confirmed in 2020, replacing liberal icon Ginsburg and shifting the balance of the court.

With the roles switched, frustrations have lingered on both sides about the increasingly partisan confirmation battles.

“Whoever the president nominates will be treated fairly and with the dignity and respect someone of his or her caliber deserves, something not afforded to Justice Kavanaugh and other Republican nominees in the past,” said Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky declined to comment on Breyer’s retirement, saying he did not want to “put the cart before the horse” before the justice made an official announcement.

“He’s entitled to do that whenever he chooses,” McConnell told reporters at an event in his home state. “And when he does that, I’ll have a response to his long and distinguished career.”

Democratic senators quickly joined the effort to make Biden’s selection historic — the first Black woman to be a justice.

“The Court should reflect the diversity of our country, and it is unacceptable that we have never in our nation’s history had a Black woman sit on the Supreme Court of the United States — I want to change that,” said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the third-ranking Democrat.

Durbin said Biden “has the opportunity to nominate someone who will bring diversity, experience, and an evenhanded approach to the administration of justice.”

In addition to Jackson, other potential nominees are California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger and U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs, whom Biden has nominated to be an appeals court judge. Childs is a favorite of Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who made a crucial endorsement of Biden just before the state’s presidential primary in 2020.

Many of Biden’s judicial nominees have reflected his pledge to diversity the federal judiciary, both racially and professionally. He will also face some pressure to appoint a younger judge who could shape the court for decades, a top consideration of Trump for his judicial picks. Jackson is 51, Childs is 55 and Kruger is 45.

Biden made it a point in the lead-up to the South Carolina primary that catapulted him to the Democratic nomination that he was “looking forward to making sure there’s a black woman on the Supreme Court, to make sure we in fact get every representation.”

___

Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

Related Posts

Pence Refutes Trump Legal Team’s Claims
Politics news

McCarthy Led a House Into Chaos

Punchbowl News: “McCarthy had a...

Read more
REPORT: U.S. Marines Struggling With a Shortage of Camouflage Uniforms | The Gateway Pundit

REPORT: U.S. Marines Struggling With a Shortage of Camouflage Uniforms | The Gateway Pundit

Matt Gaetz Gets Shut Down When He Tries To Fire McCarthy After CR Passes

Matt Gaetz Gets Shut Down When He Tries To Fire McCarthy After CR Passes

Roy Hodgson gives verdict on Crystal Palace win vs Manchester United

Roy Hodgson gives verdict on Crystal Palace win vs Manchester United

I had the most embarrassing wardrobe malfunction at Walmart - I don't usually go commando and wish I hadn't that day

I had the most embarrassing wardrobe malfunction at Walmart – I don’t usually go commando and wish I hadn’t that day

Load More
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Costco to offer $29 doctor visits, $79 therapy visits for its members

The town where a £300 cost of living payment just won't be enough

The town where a £300 cost of living payment just won't be enough

Harry Styles fan’s racy ‘From the Dining Table’ tattoo breaks very important taboo

Revolut attracts UK watchdog scrutiny over red-flag accounts

Making immunotherapy safe for AML

We really could still rejoin the EU. But Tory Britain isn’t up to it | William Keegan

Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo LIVE: Result as Alvarez retains undisputed titles

13% Rally Driven By Fresh Demand

Driving Innovation, Sustainability, and Connectivity” – Film Daily

Retirement planning: Five key tips to help your child retire with £1million pension pot | Personal Finance | Finance

About Us

Todayheadline the independent news and topics discovery
A home-grown and independent news and topic aggregation . displays breaking news linking to news websites all around the world.

Follow Us

Latest News

We really could still rejoin the EU. But Tory Britain isn’t up to it | William Keegan

Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo LIVE: Result as Alvarez retains undisputed titles

13% Rally Driven By Fresh Demand

We really could still rejoin the EU. But Tory Britain isn’t up to it | William Keegan

Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo LIVE: Result as Alvarez retains undisputed titles

13% Rally Driven By Fresh Demand

  • Real Estate
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • NFL Games On TV Today
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Home & Garden
  • Pets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • About

© 2023 All rights are reserved Today headline

No Result
View All Result
  • Real Estate
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • NFL Games On TV Today
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Home & Garden
  • Pets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • About

© 2023 All rights are reserved Today headline