No Hearings - "Biden Rules" Show Left's Hipocrisy
by Gary Bauer: No Hearings!
Kudos to the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee!
We reported yesterday that Senator Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was holding firm in his opposition to hearings for any Obama nominee to the Supreme Court. In fact, Grassley invoked the so-called "Biden Rule." (In 1992 then-Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Joe Biden warned President George H.W. Bush against making any nominations to the Supreme Court in the election year.)
Late yesterday afternoon, the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that they had unanimously agreed that there would be no hearings on any Obama nominees to the Supreme Court this year. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, they wrote:"We wish to inform you of our intention to exercise our constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee to the Supreme Court submitted by this president to fill Justice Scalia's vacancy. . . this committee will not hold hearings on any Supreme Court nominee until our next president is sworn in on January 20, 2017." House conservatives reportedly met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last night to encourage him to hold firm. Pressed by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan on whether the GOP Senate caucus would back down again as it has before, McConnell answered, "There's not a snowball's chance in hell that's gonna happen!"
Needless to say, the left is apoplectic. Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid blasted Chairman Charles Grassley as "inept."
I am pleasantly surprised to see Senate Republicans holding firm. While the president has a duty to name a replacement, the Senate is under no obligation to grant a hearing or to vote on that nominee.
Yes, Obama and his allies will holler about "obstructionism" but they would do that anyway. If the nominee got a hearing, the pressure to provide a vote would be enormous.
The stakes are simply too great. A line in the sand has been drawn. The American people will decide who replaces Justice Scalia in November, and it won't be Barack Obama.
TAKE ACTION: Here is a list of Judiciary Committee Republicans who signed the letter to Sen. McConnell. Please contact them at 202-224-3121, and thank them for taking such a strong stand at this most critical time.
Charles Grassley (IA)
Orrin Hatch (UT)
Jeff Sessions (AL)
Lindsey Graham (SC)
John Cornyn (TX)
Michael Lee (UT)
Ted Cruz (TX)
Jeff Flake (AZ)
David Vitter (LA)
David Perdue (GA)
Thom Tillis (NC)
On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) delivered an angry speech from the Senate floor over the Supreme Court nomination debate that is quickly turning into a battle."We're seeing an unprecedented attempt to hold hostage an entire branch of government," Reid said, in a left hook aimed at GOP Senators.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley responded to Reid's rhetoric by reaching back to 1992, quoting then-Senator Joe Biden (D-MD), when he excoriated the prospect of a president submitting a nomination in an election year.
"Once the political season is under way, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over," Grassley said quoting the Vice President, dubbing the 1992 remarks "The Biden Rules."
"The Biden Rules recognize that 'Senate consideration of a nominee under these circumstances is not fair to the President, to the nominee, or to the Senate itself.'
"The Biden Rules recognize that under these circumstances, 'the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.'" Mathew Staver, Chairman, Liberty Counsel Action responded; "If the Constitution weren't hanging by a thread, this would be a truly laughable situation."
The vacancy created by Justice Scalia's sudden death is far too important to be silent. Send a strong message to key lawmakers by going here and signing this important petition.
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Gary Bauer is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families
Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families Biden rules, SCOTUS, left's hypocrisy, Mathew Staver, Chairman, Liberty Counsel Action To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
Kudos to the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee!
We reported yesterday that Senator Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was holding firm in his opposition to hearings for any Obama nominee to the Supreme Court. In fact, Grassley invoked the so-called "Biden Rule." (In 1992 then-Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Joe Biden warned President George H.W. Bush against making any nominations to the Supreme Court in the election year.)
Late yesterday afternoon, the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that they had unanimously agreed that there would be no hearings on any Obama nominees to the Supreme Court this year. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, they wrote:
Needless to say, the left is apoplectic. Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid blasted Chairman Charles Grassley as "inept."
I am pleasantly surprised to see Senate Republicans holding firm. While the president has a duty to name a replacement, the Senate is under no obligation to grant a hearing or to vote on that nominee.
Yes, Obama and his allies will holler about "obstructionism" but they would do that anyway. If the nominee got a hearing, the pressure to provide a vote would be enormous.
The stakes are simply too great. A line in the sand has been drawn. The American people will decide who replaces Justice Scalia in November, and it won't be Barack Obama.
TAKE ACTION: Here is a list of Judiciary Committee Republicans who signed the letter to Sen. McConnell. Please contact them at 202-224-3121, and thank them for taking such a strong stand at this most critical time.
Charles Grassley (IA)
Orrin Hatch (UT)
Jeff Sessions (AL)
Lindsey Graham (SC)
John Cornyn (TX)
Michael Lee (UT)
Ted Cruz (TX)
Jeff Flake (AZ)
David Vitter (LA)
David Perdue (GA)
Thom Tillis (NC)
On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) delivered an angry speech from the Senate floor over the Supreme Court nomination debate that is quickly turning into a battle.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley responded to Reid's rhetoric by reaching back to 1992, quoting then-Senator Joe Biden (D-MD), when he excoriated the prospect of a president submitting a nomination in an election year.
"Once the political season is under way, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over," Grassley said quoting the Vice President, dubbing the 1992 remarks "The Biden Rules."
"The Biden Rules recognize that 'Senate consideration of a nominee under these circumstances is not fair to the President, to the nominee, or to the Senate itself.'
"The Biden Rules recognize that under these circumstances, 'the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.'"
The vacancy created by Justice Scalia's sudden death is far too important to be silent. Send a strong message to key lawmakers by going here and signing this important petition.
-------------
Gary Bauer is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families
Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families Biden rules, SCOTUS, left's hypocrisy, Mathew Staver, Chairman, Liberty Counsel Action To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
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