@ChuckGrassley: delay appointing Scalia replacement ’til after 1/20/17

Here is the statement posted this evening on Senator Chuck Grassley’s website:

Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the following statement after learning of the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
 
“Justice Scalia was an intellectual giant.  His originalist interpretation of the Constitution set the standard for the court.  He had an unwavering dedication to the founding document that has guided our country for nearly 230 years.  His humor, devotion to the Constitution and quick wit will be remembered for years to come.  Barbara and I send our prayers to Justice Scalia’s family.
 
“The fact of the matter is that it’s been standard practice over the last 80 years to not confirm Supreme Court nominees during a presidential election year.  Given the huge divide in the country, and the fact that this President, above all others, has made no bones about his goal to use the courts to circumvent Congress and push through his own agenda, it only makes sense that we defer to the American people who will elect a new president to select the next Supreme Court Justice.”

(FYI: Justice Anthony Kennedy was confirmed during an election year.  President Reagan nominated Kennedy in November of 1987 after withdrawing two previous nominees. The Senate unanimously confirmed Kennedy in 1988.  Here is The New York Times story of that February, 1988 vote.)

UPDATE at 7:59 pm. 

The statement below has been modified to note that in the last approximately 80 years, a Supreme Court Justice has not been nominated and confirmed in a presidential election year.  Apologies for any confusion.

For Immediate Release
Saturday, February 13, 2016

Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the following statement after learning of the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

“Justice Scalia was an intellectual giant.  His originalist interpretation of the Constitution set the standard for the court.  He had an unwavering dedication to the founding document that has guided our country for nearly 230 years.  His humor, devotion to the Constitution and quick wit will be remembered for years to come.  Barbara and I send our prayers to Justice Scalia’s family.

“The fact of the matter is that it’s been standard practice over the last nearly 80 years that Supreme Court nominees are not nominated and confirmed during a presidential election year.  Given the huge divide in the country, and the fact that this President, above all others, has made no bones about his goal to use the courts to circumvent Congress and push through his own agenda, it only makes sense that we defer to the American people who will elect a new president to select the next Supreme Court Justice.”