Sanders knocks McConnell: He’s going against Ginsburg’s ‘dying wishes’

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) late Friday night after the announcement that Republicans will move to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Sanders argued that a quick vote in the Senate on a new justice would defy Ginsburg’s “dying wishes.” 

“Unfortunately, Sen. McConnell has decided to go against Justice Ginsburg’s dying wishes and is cementing a shameful legacy of brazen hypocrisy,” Sanders said in a tweet. 

Ginsburg, days before her death said in a statement  that her “most fervent wish” was that she wouldn’t be replaced “until a new president is installed.”

“The right thing to do here is clear, and Senate Republicans know it,” the former presidential candidate continued. “We should let voters decide. Period.”

Unfortunately, Sen. McConnell has decided to go against Justice Ginsburg’s dying wishes and is cementing a shameful legacy of brazen hypocrisy.

The right thing to do here is clear, and Senate Republicans know it. We should let voters decide. Period. pic.twitter.com/VI5O6RCnpg

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 19, 2020

The criticism against McConnell came after the Republican leader said in a statement released hours after Ginsburg’s death was announced that “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.” 

“Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise,” McConnell said in the statement shared on Twitter. 

The Supreme Court announced Friday night that Ginsburg, who served on the high court for more than 27 years, died at the age of 87 due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer. 

Sanders’ remarks echoed an earlier tweet from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who said that “this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”

McConnell released a statement in 2016 similar to that of Schumer after the death of the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia.

Republicans in 2016 blocked former President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court pick Merrick Garland from receiving a confirmation hearing, arguing at the time that a Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled during a presidential election year.