Senate

Senate Dems press McConnell, GOP on Supreme Court

by Jordain Carney - 04/14/16 7:56 PM ET

Senate Democrats are urging GOP lawmakers to sign a letter to top Republicans backing a hearing and a vote for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.

Democrats released a letter Thursday — organized by leadership and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) — calling on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) the Judiciary Committee chairman to “allow all Senators to do our jobs” by taking up President Obama’s pick.

{mosads}The letter was left “open” so Republicans could sign on, though only two have publicly backed giving Garland a hearing.

Democrats have spent weeks trying to pressure Republicans into bucking the GOP strategy of leaving the Supreme Court seat vacant until next year.

They added Thursday that the strategy would undermine the court and result in different parts of the country having conflicting laws.

“In the month that Chief Judge Garland’s nomination has been pending, the Supreme Court has already deadlocked twice and was not able to carry out its constitutional role as the final arbiter of our Nation’s laws,” they wrote.

Approximately 17 GOP senators have suggested they are open to meeting with Garland, though most say the sit-downs would be used to explain why they won’t support moving forward with his nomination.

Democrats say that while every senator should meet with him, meetings are only a “first step” and a hearing is needed.

“A public hearing would allow Americans to engage in the process of considering the nomination and hearing directly from Chief Judge Garland on his record and his responses on important legal questions,” they wrote.

Under Democrats’ timeline, the Judiciary Committee should start its hearings later this month and give Garland a vote before the full Senate by Memorial Day.

The letter comes as Garland met with Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Michael Bennet (Colo.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) Thursday, as well as GOP Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.).

After their meetings, each of the Democrats urged Republicans to give Garland a hearing and a vote, with Bennet saying the current GOP strategy “makes no sense.”

Meanwhile, Warren added that “it’s time for Republicans to do their job.”