Resting Mitch (About)Face
Shortly after the 2016 death of Justice Antonin Scalia, “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that his chamber would not consider a nominee to replace Scalia until after the 2016 election. ‘The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice,’ he said. ‘Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President.'” And thus Merrick Garland’s nomination was held up and never given a vote. It should surprise no one that McConnell has changed his tune. He waited about five minutes after news of RGB’s death to announce: “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.” That leaves America with one key question, and one more massive fight in an era that has been marked a never-ending string of them. Can Mitch McConnell Get the Votes to Seize Ginsburg’s Seat?
+ Joe Biden: “In the coming days, we should focus on the loss of the justice and her enduring legacy. But there is no doubt — let me be clear — that the voters should pick the president and the president should pick the justice for the Senate to consider. This was the position [the] Republican Senate took in 2016, when there were almost 10 months to go before the election. That’s the position the United States Senate must take today.”
+ “Trump signals swift nomination to replace Ginsburg as tributes continue to pour in.” Here’s the latest from WaPo.
+ Meet Amy Coney Barrett. Right now, she appears to be the most likely judge to be selected by Trump. (But seriously, who knows…)
+ David Frum in The Atlantic: Four Reasons to Doubt Mitch McConnell’s Power. This part seems so obvious, especially with the polls favoring Biden: “The smart play for Trump is to postpone the nomination to reduce the risk of Democratic mobilization, and to warn Republicans of the risks should he lose. Trump’s people do not usually execute the smart play.”
