CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) appeared on “Meet the Press” with Chuck Todd Sunday morning to discuss the vacancy in the Supreme Court following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Justice Bader Ginsburg passed away on Sept. 18 due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was 87. Her seat on the Supreme Court poses a political dilemma with the upcoming elections in November.
Senator Barrasso is in support of the President making a nomination, citing that, because the White House and the Senate are of the same party, the confirmation should go forward.
Sen. Barrasso said on Meet the Press, “What we are proposing is completely consistent with the precedent…29 times there have been vacancies in the year of a presidential election and if both the White House and the Senate are of the same party they go forward with the confirmation.”
In February of 2016, justice Antonin Scalia passed away leaving a vacant seat in the supreme court, nine months ahead of the November 2016 election. Barack Obama nominated Merrick B. Garland one month after Scalia’s death, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and the Republican-led Senate wanted to hold off until after a new president was elected. The seat remained open until Donald Trump was confirmed as president and nominated Neil M. Gorsuch who was sworn in on April 7, 2017. He also nominated Brett Kavanaugh to fill the seat of Anthony M. Kennedy who retired in July 2018.
Chuck Todd asked Senator Barrasso about his change in opinions in terms of the similar scenario in 2016. “Well first, let’s be very clear. If the shoe were on the other foot and the Democrats had the White House and the Senate they would right now be trying to confirm another member of the Supreme Court.”
Sen. Barrasso’s opinion now does not support his comments made on the Senate floor in 2016, when he said, “The people should be allowed to consider possible supreme court nominees as one factor in who they will support for president. This is not about the person its about the principle involved and I want to give the American people a voice in this.”
Sen. Barrasso claims that because the senate and the White House are held by the Republican party, the nomination should be made because of precedents set. Other Senators are also being caught changing their stance on the confirmation of new justices in an election cycle including Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Cronyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Sen. Barrasso said, “There’s an election coming up. Every Senate candidate and every senator speaks for himself or herself. As chairman of the conference, I have great respect for that, but each one is going to be called upon to make a decision in their role to advise and consent. The president is going to nominate and we’re going to vote this year.”
The president has suggested that his nominee would be another woman and that he would come forward with a nomination this week.
