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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

President Obama's Supreme Court Nominee Divides Montana Congress

U.S. Supreme Court
PD
U.S. Supreme Court

Montana’s congressional delegation is deeply divided over President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. 

President Obama says his nominee, appeals court judge Merrick Garland, deserves a full hearing and an up or down Senate confirmation vote.

But Republicans control the Senate. They don’t want to give the president a chance to influence the court’s ideological balance before he leaves office.

Montana’s Republican Senator, Steve Daines, says the next Supreme Court Justice will have far-reaching impacts for a generation.

"The U.S. Senate should exercise its constitutional powers by not confirming a new Supreme Court justice until the American people elect a new president and have their voices heard. I will oppose any hearings or votes for President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court.”

Montana’s senior senator, Democrat Jon Tester, describes that stance and others like it as “unfortunate”:

"Voting on a Supreme Court nominee is not a choice, it is a constitutional responsibility that we take when we take the oath of office to be senators. If the Senate doesn’t think Garland is qualified then we can vote not to confirm him. To simply sit on our hands and refuse to do our jobs is simply not appropriate.”

Montana’s lone Congressman, Ryan Zinke, encourages Senate Republicans to provide the president specific criteria for the kind of justice they would consider.

The next U.S. Supreme Court Justice will replace the conservative Antonin Scalia, who died last month.

The reconfigured court will rule on such key issues as the president’s clean power plan and mandatory union contributions .

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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