Lisa Murkowski – the Most Liberal GOP Senator Seeking Reelection – Called out for Waffling on Scalia Replacement
As the fight to replace Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia heats up, the conservative grassroots are holding potentially waffling Republican senators’ feet to the fire. . .
Fourteen Republicans would have to join with the 46 Democrats in the Senate in order to approve an Obama nominee to the court. So far, 31 of the GOP senators have ruled out voting for a replacement for Scalia this year, leaving 23 who have not ruled out casting the vote, the New York Times reported.
Murkowski, who is the most liberal Republican seeking re-election in 2016, initially told reporters in Alaska last Wednesday that “I do believe that the nominee should get a hearing,” adding, “That doesn’t necessarily mean that that ends up in a vote. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether or not this individual, based on their record … should be named to the highest court in the land.”
After receiving blowback from Hewitt and others, the senator appeared to walk back her statement the next day, posting on Facebook: “While the President has the Constitutional prerogative to send a nominee to the Senate for consent, it is left to the Senate to determine how to proceed after that. Given the timing of this vacancy, in the middle of our Presidential election, the American people will clearly be weighing in on the direction of the Supreme Court.”
She went on to urge President Barack Obama to follow precedent and allow his successor to appoint a replacement for Justice Scalia, and acknowledged the Senate does have the right to deny the nominee an up or down vote.
Hewitt accused Murkowski of waffling, implying she may not be reliable in the effort to block an Obama nominee.
This is waffling. Will you support #NoHearingsNoVotes. Why do @Senate_GOPs make this so hard on themselves? https://t.co/PGFGzrnNIC
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) February 19, 2016
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