Some Democratic members in Congress and in the Senate are threatening repercussions if the Republican-led Senate votes to confirm a Supreme Court Justice nominee before the November election, replacing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Left-wing activists have been pushing Democratic politicians to endorse court-packing since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s 2018 retirement cleared the way for Justice Brett Kavanaugh to join the high court. Some Democrats embraced the idea following Ginsburg’s death Friday night, as reported by Daily Caller.
“If Sen. McConnell and @SenateGOP were to force through a nominee during the lame duck session—before a new Senate and President can take office—then the incoming Senate should immediately move to expand the Supreme Court,” House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) said on Twitter Saturday.
“Filling the SCOTUS vacancy during a lame duck session, after the American people have voted for new leadership, is undemocratic and a clear violation of the public trust in elected officials. Congress would have to act and expanding the court would be the right place to start,” he added.
“If he holds a vote in 2020, we pack the court in 2021,” Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) tweeted on Saturday. “It’s that simple.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also weighed in, tweeting Saturday: “If Republicans recklessly & reprehensibly force a SCOTUS vote before the election– nothing is off the table.” Continued Below
CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe additionally reported Saturday: “During a 1pm conference call of @SenateDems, aides say @SenSchumer told his colleagues: ‘Let me be clear: if Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans move forward with this, then nothing is off the table for next year. Nothing is off the table.’”
The Commander in Chief on Saturday morning, however, vowed to nominate a new justice “without delay.”
“@GOP We were put in this position of power and importance to make decisions for the people who so proudly elected us, the most important of which has long been considered to be the selection of United States Supreme Court Justices. We have this obligation, without delay!” the president wrote on Twitter. Continued Below
Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s tweets:
Filling the SCOTUS vacancy during a lame duck session, after the American people have voted for new leadership, is undemocratic and a clear violation of the public trust in elected officials. Congress would have to act and expanding the court would be the right place to start.
— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) September 19, 2020
Rep. Joe Kennedy III’s tweet:
If he holds a vote in 2020, we pack the court in 2021.
It’s that simple.
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) September 19, 2020
Senator Richard Blumenthal’s tweet:
If Republicans recklessly & reprehensibly force a SCOTUS vote before the election—nothing is off the table.
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) September 19, 2020
CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe’s tweet:
Regarding Schumer’s comments, keep in mind these findings: https://t.co/7omK4dr98D
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) September 19, 2020
(Related: Video Resurfaces Of Biden Urging The Senate To Take Up A Vote On SCOTUS Nominee Garland In 2016)