Sen. Heitkamp Urges Congress to Hold Hearings on Supreme Court Nominee

The White House is now vetting Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval as a potential nominee for the Supreme Court, the Washington Post reports. Some Republicans have even suggested President Obama has no right to nominate anyone as if somehow he’s not a real President. And while Republicans now assert they are standing on principle, that they want to wait until the dust settles on the presidential election before taking up such a monumental decision, the New York Times and their lefty friends complain that’s no principle at all.

Hillary Clinton unloaded on Senate Republicans for putting partisanship ahead of statesmanship by obstructing President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.

“If nominated by the President, Governor Sandoval deserves a fair hearing and consideration, just like any nominee the President puts forth”.

Records officials said he was born to Ron Sandoval, his father, and Gloria Gallegos, his mother, at Mercy Medical Center.

Prior to becoming Nevada’s governor in 2011, Sandoval served as federal judge, making him the first Latino to hold statewide elected office in the state. Maybe even a moderate Republican who agrees with Obama on key issues, like overturning Citizens United. Democratic Sen. Majority leader Harry Reid told reporters on Wednesday that he would be a good pick.

KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS The White House’s contemplation of a Republican for the high court opening would fall in line with President Obama’s purported strategy to fill the seat with a centrist candidate that GOP lawmakers would be hard-pressed to oppose.

Within a day, however, the White House had drawn its battle lines: Obama and his allies declared that the Constitution gives him the right to find a replacement, the Senate is duty-bound to start confirmation hearings and to do otherwise would be Republican obstructionism.

Asked if he would look for a “moderate” nominee in an effort to achieve bipartisan support, Obama reportedly rejected the idea.

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday set out his criteria for picking the next Supreme Court justice, insisting he will not tap someone looking to legislate from the bench.

“It is my view, that if a Supreme Court justice resigns today or tomorrow or within the next several weeks …”

McConnell was at the center of a battle a decade ago over Democratic filibusters of judicial nominees of President George W. Bush and, after Democrats took over the chamber in 2007, repeatedly said Bush’s judges deserved up or down votes.