Leahy, Sanders and Scott: Ginsburg Should Not Be Replaced Until Inauguration

Vermont's two U.S. senators and its Republican governor came to similar conclusions Friday night following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Senate must not vote to confirm a successor until the next president is inaugurated.

In an interview late Friday, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) told Seven Days that a rushed vote to confirm a nominee put forth by President Donald Trump would have lasting consequences for the federal judiciary.

"That would make a mockery of the Supreme Court," said Leahy, the dean of the Senate and most senior member of its Judiciary Committee. "It would totally politicize the Supreme Court. It would say only Republicans can be on the Supreme Court — and that would be so destructive of our whole system of justice."

If the Senate were to hold a confirmation vote just weeks before the November election, Leahy added, "I think it would be decades before the Supreme Court would regain any sense of integrity with the rest of the country."

Read more: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2020/09/18/leahy-and-scott-no-vote-on-a-trump-nominee-to-replace-ginsburg