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GOP Senate Leaders Tell Obama They Won't Consider His Supreme Court Pick
| Wall Street Journal | - |
WASHINGTON—President
Barack Obama and Republican leaders on Tuesday remained deadlocked
after a face-to-face meeting over when to fill a Supreme Court opening,
making it unlikely a nominee could be approved until at least after the
election.
GOP Senate Leaders Tell Obama They Won’t Consider His Supreme Court Pick
President still intends to send a nomination to the Senate
ENLARGE
President Barack Obama
met with, from left, Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck
Grassley on Tuesday.
Photo:
Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press
“Senator Grassley and I made it clear that we don’t intend to take up the nominee or to have a hearing. And it was a good opportunity to reiterate our view that this appointment should be made by the next president,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said after the meeting, referring to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee. “This vacancy will not be filled this year.”
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid
expressed frustration that Senate Republican leaders are refusing to
meet with any Supreme Court nominee from President Barack Obama, with
the hope of keeping the seat open for a GOP president to fill next year.
Photo: AP
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Mr. Obama remains undeterred by Republican opposition and intends to send a nomination to the Senate.
“The president and his team will continue with the process that has been running here at the White House, now, for more than a week,” Mr. Earnest said. “And the president will continue to do that work, with the goal of eventually putting forward a nomination.”
Mr. Earnest said Mr. Obama offered for Republicans to put forward potential candidates for him to consider. “The president didn’t guarantee that he would choose that person, but the president did indicate that he would take seriously any recommendations that either Democrats or Republicans had to put forward,” Mr. Earnest said.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.), who also attended the meeting, said Messrs. McConnell and Grassley also declined Mr. Obama’s offer to review a list of potential nominees in advance of an announcement.
Related
- Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval Removes Himself From Supreme Court Consideration (Feb. 25)
- Some GOP Senators Face Pressure Over Supreme Court Nomination Stance (Feb. 25)
- White House, GOP Lock Horns on Supreme Court Nomination (Feb. 24)
- 5 Ways Mitch McConnell Gains by Taking a Tough Line on Obama Supreme Court Pick (Feb. 24)
Republicans have pointed to a 1992 speech by current Vice President Joe Biden, then Judiciary Committee chairman, in which he said President George H.W. Bush should consider not naming a replacement during the election year if a Supreme Court justice were to resign.
On Tuesday, Mr. Biden defended the position he took then and said his words have since been taken out of context, according to Mr. Reid.
Mr. Biden and Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, also attended the meeting.
Write to Carol E. Lee at carol.lee@wsj.com and Siobhan Hughes at siobhan.hughes@wsj.com
