USA Today reports:
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would move quickly to nominate a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced that he will retire on July 31. Trump told reporters the process would “begin immediately .”
The president said he would review an existing list of candidates for the opening. The list was put together to fill the seat now held by Justice Neil Gorsuch. It was developed in consultation with conservative legal scholars. “It will be somebody from that list,” Trump said.
Republicans have a 51-seat majority now, giving them the ability to withstand Democratic opposition. The traditional 60-vote threshold for high court nominees was abolished last April when Democrats threatened to block Gorsuch’s confirmation, prompting Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to push through a rules change allowing justices to be confirmed with simple majority votes.
Statement on Justice Anthony Kennedy. #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/8aWJ6fWemA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2018
SCHUMER, citing 2016, calls on Republicans "not to consider a Supreme Court Justice in an election year."
— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) June 27, 2018
NOBODY on the Federalist Society list of extreme right-wing jurists is an acceptable nominee. #DitchTheList
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 27, 2018
on eve of 2016 elections, Republicans vowed NEVER to confirm ANY justices nominated by Clinton if she won.
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) June 27, 2018