President Obama told Republican senators to do their job in his weekly address Saturday, scolding them taking a vacation while refusing to consider Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.
His remarks came as Democrats work to renew public attention to Republicans unprecedented refusal to Garland. GOP senators say they will not vote on Obama’s nominee in an election year, hoping a Republican can win the presidency in November and name their own more conservative judge to the vital seat.
“Most Senate Republicans have refused to even meet with Judge Garland, which means they’ve also refused to do their job and hold a hearing on his nomination, or an up-or-down vote, but they’ve still found time to head home for recess over the next week,” Obama said.
The president’s message comes 45 days after the nomination was submitted to the upper chamber, and marks the second time Obama has dedicated his weekly address to call for Congress’ cooperation on the issue. The GOP-led Senate has refused to hold hearing or vote for Garland, a level of gridlock Congress has not seen since 1875 regarding a Supreme Court nominee.
Obama said Garland has earned the respect of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle during his career in law and should not be the victim of Washington politics.
“There is absolutely no reason for Republican senators to deny him the basic courtesy of a hearing and a vote — the same courtesy that has been extended to others. This refusal to treat a Supreme Court nomination with the seriousness it deserves is what makes people so cynical about Washington,” the president said.
The average amount of time between a president’s Supreme Court nomination and the Senate holding a hearing is 67 days.
