No Supreme Court Nominee Until 2021

With the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the President is expected to appoint a new Supreme Court Justice. The Senate then debates, interviews, and votes on the nominee. If approved, the nominee goes on to sit on the bench of the highest court in the country for a lifetime appointment.

Donald Trump has nominated two Supreme Court Justices, Neil Gorsuch and the hotly contested Brett Kavanaugh. This would make his third.

After the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell announced the Senate would not hold hearings for a new Justice until after the 45th President took office. McConnell declared this due to Obama being a “lame duck,” a second term President in the final months.

There is some speculation that McConnell, whose legislative priorities are in lockstep with the Trump administration, will insist on having hearings for a Trump nominee. The blatant hypocrisy of doing this in September of an election year, after previously saying no to a similar situation in February 2016, speaks to McConnell’s corruption.

Call your Senators. Every state has two of them, a junior and senior Senator.

Can’t find their phone number?

Here’s the number for the Congressional switchboard, call it and ask to be connected to your Senators' offices:

(202) 224-3121

Tell them you do not want another Supreme Court Justice appointed until after the election. Whoever the winner is, this can be their day one priority, whether it’s day one of a Hawkins or Biden Presidency, or (take a breath, it might happen) day one of Trump’s second term.

Scalia’s seat remained vacant for over a year. Obama had a nominee. McConnell said no and had the backing of the Republican controlled Senate to obstruct the process.

Since I’m writing in Oregon, for Oregonians, here are the numbers for our two Senators.

Jeff Merkley:

(202) 224-3753

Ron Wyden:

(202) 224-5244

Need a sample script?

“Hello, Senator ______, my name is _____. I’m calling today because I believe the Senate should hold off on hearing any Supreme Court Justice nominee until after the election. Mitch McConnell made a similar decision in February 2016 with refusing to consider Barack Obama’s nominee Merrick Garland. Whether this was politically motivated or not, in this current situation the election is only six weeks away. I ask that you refuse to hear any Supreme Court Justice nominees until the new legislative session begins in 2021. Thank you.”