Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) released the following statement today after the President nominated federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court:
“As far as I’m concerned the president is wasting everyone’s time. Senate leadership has already made their intentions clear and I strongly agree with them that the nomination process should not take place in the middle of this election cycle. Delaying a Supreme Court appointment during a presidential election year is not uncommon, it is actually in line with past precedent. This is an opportunity for the American people to have a voice in a very important decision of nominating the person who will serve on our nation’s highest court for life. It’s clear by what we are witnessing in this national election that Americans have a strong opinion about the future of our country and they deserve to be heard. ”
As stated in a letter sent by the Senate Judiciary Committee, “Not since 1932 has the Senate confirmed in a presidential election year a Supreme Court nominee to a vacancy arising in that year. And it is necessary to go even further back — to 1888 — in order to find an election year nominee who was nominated and confirmed under divided government, as we have now.”
