As Judge Garland Begins Meetings With Senators, Shaheen Calls on Republican Senate Leadership to Maintain Bipartisan Tradition of Considering Supreme Court Nominees
Press Release
Today in Concord, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) held a press conference where she called on Republican leadership in the Senate to maintain the longstanding bipartisan tradition of considering Supreme Court nominees and schedule a hearing and a vote on Judge Merrick Garland's nomination. Her remarks come the day after a deadlocked 4-4 Supreme Court decision and as Judge Garland begins meeting with Senators on Capitol Hill to make the case for his nomination. Shaheen was joined by former New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick, and UNH Law professor Erin Corcoran.
"Granite Staters are tired of gridlock and want to see the Senate working," said Shaheen. "The bipartisan tradition of considering Supreme Court nominees is an important one that is now under threat. The President has put forward a well-respected nominee to serve on the Supreme Court and now it's time for the Senate to fulfill its end of the constitutional bargain. Every Senator swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution and the Constitution is clear on the Senate's obligation. The Supreme Court has plenty of work to do and needs all nine members to properly perform its constitutional duties. Judge Garland deserves a hearing and he deserves a vote."
Justice Broderick served on the New Hampshire Supreme Court for 15 years and was Chief Justice for six of those years. Professor Corcoran's many areas of expertise include the federal approval process for judicial nominations.
"To delay consideration of a qualified nominee and leave a vacancy for over a year on the United States Supreme Court, needlessly weakens our democracy and sadly politicizes our federal judiciary," said Broderick. "I agree with Chief Justice Roberts that in many respects the confirmation process is not working well but shutting the process down takes it to a whole new level. I fervently hope that the Senate does not gridlock the highest court in the country. Nobody wins but our democracy and its citizens will surely lose."
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