Wisconsinites Deserve to Know Where Rep. Sean Duffy Stands On GOP Obstruction To SCOTUS Nominee

MADISON - In the days following the untimely death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Republicans like Senator Ron Johnson and Speaker Paul Ryan immediately joined the likes of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell in favoring a delay in nominating a justice to the a Supreme Court until after President Obama leaves office. It’s been almost two weeks since the vacancy was made on the highest court in the land and Congressman Sean Duffy - an expert in Congressional obstruction tactics - is yet to take a stand on the issue.

Standard-bearers of Wisconsin’s extreme right-wing ilk instantly sought to politicize the vacancy on the high court after news of Justice Scalia death made headlines. Senator Ron Johnson issued a statement the next day demanding that President Obama not pick a nominee until after the presidential elections in November. Speaker Ryan followed suit, even disclosing that Republicans were trying to create the spin on the issue to benefit their side politically.

After two weeks of members of the extreme right-wing coalescing around obstructing the process of selecting a Supreme Court Justice, Rep. Sean Duffy is a glaring omission amongst the Congressional Republicans who have taken a stand on the issue.

Congressman Duffy voted to shut down the government in 2013. If he stands with the likes of Speaker Ryan and Leader McConnell on this issue, then also he supports crippling the one branch of the federal government that is supposed to be above the fray of politics - for over a year.

The President has a constitutional responsibility to nominate a Supreme Court Justice, and the Senate has an obligation to vote on that nominee. A quick glance at history reveals that the Senate has not previously shirked its responsibility to confirm Supreme Court Justices in an election year. In fact, since 1900, six Supreme Court Justices have been confirmed in a presidential election year. To put it simply, Congress can and should confirm a nominee or risk compromising a fundamental part of American democracy.

“As someone who has taken the lead in ushering in an era of obstruction and dysfunction in Congress over the last six years, Rep. Sean Duffy must let the voters know where he stands on filling the current vacancy on the Supreme Court,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Kory Kozloski said on Wednesday. “Duffy’s government shutdown allies like Sen. Ron Johnson have said they won’t even meet with a Supreme Court nominee. Wisconsinites deserve to know if the Congressman agrees.”