From the office of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski:
MIKULSKI CALLS ON SENATE TO HOLD HEARINGS & VOTE ON PRESIDENT’S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today issued the following statement calling on the Senate to hold hearings and a vote on the President’s nominee to the Supreme Court:
“U.S. President Barack Obama fulfilled his Constitutional duty today in submitting to the Senate his nominee to the Supreme Court, well-respected D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Merrick Garland.
“Now, the Senate must perform its duty and do our jobs as mandated by the Constitution. I urge my colleagues to do their jobs by following the Constitution and living up to the Constitution. So let’s open our doors to meet with his nominee. Let’s hold a hearing. Finally, let’s hold a vote on the Senate floor.
“I plan to do the job that I was elected to do by the people of Maryland. I am ready to do my job and follow the process. When evaluating Supreme Court nominees, I have always used three criteria: are they competent and appropriately credentialed? Do they possess the highest personal and professional integrity? Will they protect and preserve the core Constitutional values and guarantees central to our system of government, specifically the freedoms of speech and religion, equal protection of the laws and the right to privacy?
“Merrick Garland has served on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals since 1997, and as Chief Judge since 2013. His career has been consistent and unfailing in his public service. Chief Judge Garland previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, prosecuting the Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, and supervising the Unabomber case. He also served as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and was a partner at Arnold & Porter, one of the largest law firms in the world. He has served with honor, and a sense of duty to his country.
“I look forward to meeting Chief Judge Garland and getting to know him better. I will evaluate his credentials and render an independent judgement. My vote will reflect my commitment to core Constitutional principles.
“President Obama is our president until January 20, 2017. The Constitution states his job is to provide nominees to the Senate to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court. The Constitution does not give a time limit on being President, where once you reach a certain point, you can no longer do your job. The word ‘delay’ does not appear in the Constitution. It says the President has four full years.
“So I say to my Senate colleagues, let’s be accountable by our deeds and not avoid our Constitutional duty.”
Congressman Andy Harris’ Statement on President Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee
From the office of Congressman Andy Harris:
WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) released the following statement on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee:
“Once again President Obama is playing politics with the future of this country by attempting to force the Senate to confirm a liberal Washington insider to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment and the American people should not be denied a say in the direction the court will take for decades to come. The Senate has the constitutional and legal rights to consider or not consider the ‘lame-duck’ President’s nominee and I believe they should continue to stand strong in not confirming a Supreme Court Justice during this election year.”
Andy Harris: President Obama may be “playing politics,” but what game are you playing??? Do the damn job you were elected to do and proceed with this candidate. You disgust me!
Its amazing how hypocritical people like Harris are. It’s nauseating. They claim to be followers of the Constitution, but when President Obama follows the Constitution it’s “politicizing.” Yea right, puhlease…..A person can look into their eyes and see they are not genuine. Like Cruz, a rat with beady eyes, greasy hair and a pointed nose like Pinocchio,
Since when has Obama worried about following the constitution. He bypasses the congress with executive orders all the time. You sheep keep drinking the democrat kool-aid,
A Representative sure has a lot to do with the Senate considering a nomination…
The Republican controlled senate is doing exactly what we sent them there to do.
Elections have consequences, remember?
I believe they all ran on the job creation platform. When exactly is that going to happen?
Whenever you put down the marijuana pipe, stop cashing those government checks and find someone to hire you.
Please, “tell me how it is.” I can’t wait to read the reply you come up with, as you waste your life away.
As soon as a conservative gets elected this fall, gets rid of Obamacare, and cuts government size and spending.
AND THE DO NOTHING GOP SENATORS ARE DOING THE CORRECT THING, NOTHING.
BARBARA, YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY INGESTED FAR TOO MUCH TAP WATER AND JELLY DONUTS. THE FORMER HAS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED YOUR ABILITY TO THINK, THE LATTER HAS NOT CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR POLITICAL INFLUENCE IE WEIGHT.
Barbara,
What a numbskull you are. “Do the damn job you were elected to do and proceed with this candidate.” Any halfway educated person knows that Andy Harris, who is in the House of Representatives” cannot ‘proceed with this candidate’. Why? Because that is the job of the Senate. Do you even know the difference between the two? Or are you just looking for an opportunity to blast Representative Harris? Meanwhile you have shown your stupidity and ignorance to the world. You can dislike him all you want – it is a free society – well nearly free – but please, please, please hide your stupidity and ignorance. Shame on you. You should not have dropped out of school in the third grade.
Did you read?
Once again President Obama is playing politics with the future of this country by attempting to force the Senate to do their job.
Fixed it for you Andy, now do the country a favor and do your overpaid job.
The American people had their say we elected Senators and a President to do this job. We knew this day was coming with an aging Supreme Court.
Went did the Judges on the Supreme Court become elected officials?
The Republicans are in control. They don’t want to let O pick a SCOTUS judge. Get over it. If the situation were reversed the Democrats would be doing the EXACT SAME THING. Oh, so noble Babs, three criteria? I suggest you’ve only ever had one criteria… how are my political masters telling me to vote. You and everyone else in Congress insist on calling it a job. Seriously? Today’s snake licking politicians never work a day in their lives but they all end up rich. Why can’t you just leave early?
She should have left years ago. Actually she never should have been there in the first place.
What goes around comes around. Democrats did it to Bush and now they don’t like it. Maybe they should have done their job back then. Stand strong Republicans.
When did democrats refuse to give a hearing or vote to a nominee?
Obama was part of the filibuster of Alito that failed.
Not to be too technical for you but there was never a filibuster.
Stop watching Fox news it makes you say stupid stuff.
You’re not being too technical, you’re being a jerk off. Don’t be a hypocrite too.
Poor B just realized how wrong he is and disappointed Fox news made him look stupid again.
LOL Butt hurt loser.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/269719-white-house-obama-regrets-his-filibuster-of-supreme-court-nominee
So there was a hearing and a vote?
The senate has no constitutional requirement to act in any defined time period.