Senate Majority leader McConnell says that Obama should not be filling the vacancy of Antonin Scalia in a statement he just put out:
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Saturday on the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia:
“Today our country lost an unwavering champion of a timeless document that unites each of us as Americans. Justice Scalia’s fidelity to the Constitution was rivaled only by the love of his family: his wife Maureen his nine children, and his many grandchildren. Through the sheer force of his intellect and his legendary wit, this giant of American jurisprudence almost singlehandedly revived an approach to constitutional interpretation that prioritized the text and original meaning of the Constitution. Elaine and I send our deepest condolences to the entire Scalia family.
“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President.”
“Should”? Why doesn’t he just say it WON’T be filled by Obama? We’re screwed, people.
Mitch McConnell, you have a chance to redeem yourself. Hold. The. Line.
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) February 13, 2016
There’s no way to compel the Senate to allow a vote on an Obama nominee to replace Scalia. It rests entirely in Mitch McConnell’s hands.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 13, 2016
Something tells me he’ll find a way to blame someone else, and allow it anyway.
Harry Reid’s statement is much more forceful:
https://twitter.com/UBtalkin/status/698651077802119174
Yup. The Constitution is about to get schlonged.