Senate Democrats demand February 8 confirmation hearing Merrick Garland
Merrick Brian Garland Democrats weigh in expanding lower courts after Trump blitz Biden staffs commission began studying Supreme Court reform: report More than 40 lawmakers sign a letter urging Merrick Garland to abolish the death penalty more., President Biden’s choice to be Attorney General.
Garland is yet to be tried weeks after his nomination, in part because of a peculiarity that leaves Republicans in control of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
While the Democrats have the Senate majority, Republicans still control the committees because the Senate has not yet reached a power-sharing agreement. Without an organizing decision, Senate committees continue to follow the organization for the 116th Congress. This leaves Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamTrump announces new accused legal team after reported departure 5 lawyers leave Trump accusation team before trial: reports Biden reignites immigration fight in Congress MORE (RS.C.) as chairman of the legal committee.
Sen. Dick Durbin
Dick DurbinProgressive pressure Controversial budget reconciliation proposal Democrats weigh in on expanding lower courts after Trump blitz Biden redesigns immigration battles in Congress (D-Ill.) Sent a letter to Graham on Monday asking him to plan the trial, arguing that there is “simply no justification” to oppose Garland having a trial before the Judiciary Committee on February 8. to give.
‘I find it regrettable that we were unable to reach an agreement on a timeline for the processing of this nomination. “Although I am committed to finding a dual consensus with you and Senator Grassley, the next member of the committee, on timing, there is simply no justification for further delaying Judge Garland’s hearing,” Durbin said in the letter. writing.
Durbin implied in his letter that Graham is currently refusing to give a hearing to Garland on Feb. 8, writing: “It is my hope … that you will reconsider your objections to a hearing on Feb. 8.”
Graham’s spokesmen did not immediately respond to a question about Durbin’s request.
If Graham does not agree to a trial on Feb. 8, Durbin warned he was “willing to take other steps to expedite the Senate’s discussion of Judge Garland’s appointment if his trial did not continue on Feb. 8. “
A Durbin spokesman did not immediately give details on what steps Durbin would be willing to take. But Durbin defends Garland in his letter.
“He is a general consensus choice that needs to be confirmed quickly based on his merits and because of the urgent need to respond to the January 6 uprising and other national security risks,” Durbin wrote.
Democrats can confirm Garland without GOP support once his nomination is on the Senate floor. Under a rule change introduced by the Senate Democrats in 2013, lower-level judicial elections and nominees need only a simple majority to defeat a filibuster and eventually be confirmed.
This is not the first time Republicans have refused to give a trial to Garland.
Former President Obama nominated him in the Supreme Court in 2016, but Republicans refused to try or vote on his nomination because of the impending presidential election. In 2020, Republicans set a new record for how close to a presidential election a nominee was confirmed in the Supreme Court when they set the judge Amy Coney Barrett
Amy Coney Barrett Democrats weigh in expanding lower courts after Trump blitz votes South Carolina Senate to ban most abortions in state, Biden begins staffing commission to study Supreme Court reform: MORE, former President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden reversing Trump’s last-minute attempt to freeze 4 billion programs, Trump announces a new legal team for indictment after it is reported that Republicans are leaving to unite the next election cycle MORE.‘s choice to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg The background and experience of Goodwin Liu makes him an ideal choice for the Attorney General of California. In Biden, the media has finally transformed a religious president to celebrate NYC street and subway signs to welcome Biden, and say goodbye to Trump MORE, on the bench.
Graham praised Garland earlier this year when Biden nominated him as his attorney general and called him a ‘good choice’.
‘If media reports are accurate, I believe Judge Garland would be a good choice to be the next Attorney General. “He is a man with great character, integrity and a tremendous skill in the law,” Graham tweeted at the time.