WASHINGTON (AP) — A presidential proclamation has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the Supreme Court, the White House and elsewhere in honor of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
As the flags have risen, so has the political heat over the vacancy on the nine-member court.
At issue is the right of Democratic President Barack Obama to make a nomination and the role of the Republican-led Senate in confirming that choice.
Obama pledges a nomination “in due time.” Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell thinks it should wait for the next president.
Ted Cruz, one of two GOP senators running for president, tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “we’re advising that a lame-duck president in an election year is not going to be able to tip the balance of the Supreme Court.”
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Don’t know about you other boys, but my flag was flying full staff this morning.
(My apologies to anyone with tender sensibilities).
I don’t think the Republicans have fully thought through (as usual) the consequences of their actions.
The Democrats can make the case that with such a long vacancy the Republicans will have effectively changed the number from Justices for the first time in history from 9 to 8.
They can thus refuse to confirm any Justices should they control the Senate and the Republicans win in 2016. Or conversely, they can claim since the Republicans have broken the precedent of the number or Justices being 9, why not 15? Next time they control the Senate and the Presidency, they can add 4, 6 or any number of Justices.
Republicans can never seem to think further ahead than whats best for them today.
The Onion won the Innertubes’ with the very best tweet concerning and to salute Fat Tony:
Well, as my wife said, “We know Scalia is in a better place. They DID fly him out of Texas.”
(*I love that woman.)
BeattyCat salutes ‘The Onion.’
edited to add: … and sherlock1’s wife!
FollowJustice Wainwright
@JusticeBlaine
Antonin #Scalia requested cremation in his will, but millions of women will meet tomorrow to discuss if that’s really best for his body.
Winner tweet!