Senators Should Do Their Constitutional Duty Print
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Written by Russ Feingold   
Wednesday, 17 February 2016 17:51

antonin-scaliaPresident Obama's job to soon nominate someone to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court is not only critical to the operation of our highest court, it is a responsibility explicitly laid out in our Constitution. The Republican-led Senate can consider the nominee and decide not to support that person, but they cannot abdicate their constitutional responsibility to "advice and consent" in the full view of the people.


MADISON - President Obama will soon nominate someone to succeed Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court. This responsibility is not only critical to the operation of our highest court, it is a responsibility explicitly laid out in our Constitution: The president shall appoint a justice to serve our nation and the Senate will provide "advice and consent."

Once President Obama nominates a new justice, the Republican-led Senate can consider the nominee and decide not to support them -- that's their right, and it's what the Constitution means by "advice and consent."

ron-johnsonWhat the Senate cannot do is abdicate this constitutional responsibility. Yet Senator Ron Johnson has proposed doing exactly that. He's putting Republican party politics ahead of our Constitution and offering up only excuses. "Doing nothing is also an action," he said this week.

His "doing nothing" is actually not action, it's partisan obstruction. His "doing nothing" is why Washington has become so dysfunctional. His "doing nothing" flies in the face of his constitutional responsibility, and it has to stop. So I'm calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Johnson, and other Senate Republicans to drop their knee-jerk obstruction and give the president's Supreme Court nominee fair consideration.

But I need your help to build pressure.

Tell Mitch McConnell, Ron Johnson, and the Senate to do their jobs and give fair consideration to President Obama's Supreme Court justice nominee.

The Supreme Court plays a unique role in applying the Constitution to important questions of American life and business, but if Senator Johnson and other Senate Republicans continue on this damaging path, our country could be waiting over a year for a new Supreme Court justice.

Join me in reminding Senator Johnson, Mitch McConnell, and other Senate Republicans of their crucial responsibility.

Tell Senator Ron Johnson, Mitch McConnell, and the Senate to do their jobs and give fair consideration to President Obama's justice nominee.

Senator Johnson's tactics have already damaged one branch of government -- we can't let him use the same tactics on another.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 February 2016 18:25