GOP Senator: If We Block SCOTUS Noms ‘Sight Unseen,’ We’re ‘Obstructionists’

U.S. Sen.-elect Thom Tillis, R-N.C., smiles as he answers a question from the media during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. Tillis unseated Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in Tuesday's electio... U.S. Sen.-elect Thom Tillis, R-N.C., smiles as he answers a question from the media during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. Tillis unseated Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in Tuesday's election, narrowly winning a race that attracted more than $100 million in spending from the candidates and outside groups and that proved to clinch the Senate majority for the GOP. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) MORE LESS
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Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), speaking on a radio show Tuesday morning, cautioned against objecting to a Supreme Court nominee put forward by President Obama “sight unseen,” ThinkProgress reported.

“I think we fall into the trap if just simply say sight unseen, we fall into the trap of being obstructionists,” Tillis told The Tyler Cralle Show. The comment was at odds with statements made by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other GOP leaders soon after Justice Antonin Scalia’s surprise death that a successor shouldn’t be considered until after a new president is inaugurated because it is an election year.

Nevertheless, Tillis put a high bar on what kind of nominee the party should be willing to consider, saying a nominee with an “identical resume and capabilities of Justice Scalia” would be worth a vote.

“We’ll have to see who he nominates, we’ll have to see if it is someone who is going to continue to uphold or support a lot of the actions he’s taken unilaterally,” Tillis said. “Or if this is somebody who has a body of work that we think is legitimately a good candidate for us to elect to a lifetime appointment on a co-equal branch.”

He said Republicans’ concern is that Obama would nominate someone who is “ideologically aligned” with him, and “that’s out of step with the American people.”

“If he puts forth someone that we think is in the mold of President Obama’s vision for America, then we’ll use every device available to block that nomination,” Tillis continued.

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  1. So, cliff notes version, if Obama nominates somebody who has Scalia’s resume and Scalia’s ideology maybe a deal can be done.

    Wow, don’t overwhelm me with this breeze of bipartisanship!

  2. If We Block SCOTUS Noms ‘Sight Unseen,’ We’re ‘Obstructionists’

    Well no shit. Which is exactly what you are.

  3. I know the speed of light is the theoretical maximum, but it will be worth measuring the walk-back here.

  4. Avatar for tesla tesla says:

    He said Republicans’ concern is that Obama would nominate someone who is "ideologically aligned” with him, and "that’s out of step with the American people.”

    That would be those same American people who overwhelmingly voted for Obama, not just once, but twice. His lack of familiarity with the truth is quite disturbing.

  5. Avatar for tflick tflick says:

    Uh, oh. Someone walked off the Republican reservation. Quick, Mitch, get the net!

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