Senator Grassley Says Judge Garland Could Get Lame-Duck Hearing If…

U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington D.C.Tuesday, Senator Chuck Grassley, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Judge Merrick Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court could receive a hearing in the lame duck if enough senators push for a hearing after the November election.
This statement shows movement away from the senseless and unthinking Republican obstruction around Judge Garland’s nomination, but Senator Grassley’s premise – that he would only hold hearings if “enough” Senators argue for one – turns the entire judicial confirmation process on its head.  (See the Constitution.)  And in any event, we’re not celebrating yet.  For one thing, Senate Majority Leader McConnell continues to assert that hearings won’t be held this year.  For another, we are approaching the start of a new Supreme Court Term with the highest court in the land still short-handed, which is beyond unprecedented and incredibly damaging to our system of justice and the institution of the Supreme Court.  So we say to the Senate, once again, and with feeling:  #DoYourJob.