SYRACUSE, N.Y. — U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) says he believes President Barack Obama should nominate a successor to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia following his death Saturday in Texas.
“The Constitution doesn’t say the president serves four years but can only act in his first three or her first three,” Schumer said in answering a reporter’s question on the topic.
The Senator on Monday answered questions on several topics during his appearance at Syracuse University to promote a series of proposals to combat student-loan debt.
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U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R–Kentucky), the Senate Republican majority leader, on Saturday said the next president should be the one to choose the nominee, noting that it would give the voters a say in the selection process.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R–Texas), who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, said he would filibuster any appointee Obama nominates to replace Scalia.
Schumer disagrees with both of his fellow lawmakers.
“So, this idea of blocking somebody … and keeping the vacancy on the Supreme Court for over 300 days … it’ll tie our judicial system in a knot and it’s just not fair …and not right,” said Schumer.
The Democrat said that he wants to see President Obama nominate a “mainstream, bipartisan type” who can “get the support of both parties.”
Schumer contends his Senate colleagues ought to have a hearing and hold a vote on any prospective nominee.
However, in the summer of 2007, Schumer gave a speech urging his Democratic colleagues in the U.S. Senate not to confirm any nominees to the Supreme Court that then-President George W. Bush might make before his term ended in January 2009. In the aftermath of Scalia’s death, Schumer has said in media appearances that he did not mean to imply that he was urging the Senate not to hold any hearings or votes on a prospective Bush nominee.
Regarding Scalia, Schumer, in response to a question from BJNN, said he was a “brilliant man” with a “probing mind,” noting that he didn’t agree with him on many of his views.
“He came from Queens … and he had a joy of life. He’ll be missed. He’ll be missed,” Schumer added.
Obama on Tuesday pledged he would be nominating a successor to Scalia.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
