Democrats say the winner of the November presidential election should be the one who names a new justice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat. But Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy says the U-S Constitution is clear on this issue.
“When a vacancy occurs in the United States Supreme Court, the president nominates someone to fill the vacancy. The Judiciary Committee, on which I sit, holds hearings, and then the entire Senate votes. I can’t find anywhere in the Constitution that talks about the electoral calendar,” said Kennedy.
The President is expected to announce a nominee on Saturday and hearings could start next month. But Kennedy says the Senate will not rush to hold a confirmation vote before the election.
“The shortest amount of time that a Supreme Court Justice has ever been confirmed is 19 days. Will we do it in 19 days? I don’t know, we’ll do it when we’re ready,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy says as a member of the Judiciary Committee, he’ll judge the nominee on basis of intelligence, temperament, and integrity and he’s not looking for a judge to be a politician in robes.
“I want a judge who will tell us what the law is, as passed by Congress….not tell us what the law ought to be,” said Kennedy.
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