As SC’s Graham meets with Supreme Court nominee, opponent Harrison weighs in
South Carolina Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Jaime Harrison says Republicans should not rush to fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
President Donald Trump on Saturday nominated federal appeals court judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ginsburg who died earlier this month.
Democrats have argued a nomination and confirmation vote should wait until after November’s presidential election. However, Republicans have control of the Senate and intend to move forward with filling the seat.
Harrison argued the nation’s leaders should wait to fill the seat and instead focus on dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is imperative that we follow the constitutional process, and as South Carolina’s next Senator, I’ll give every president’s nominee fair and thorough consideration,” Harrison said in a statement. “Right now, I don’t think this lifetime appointment should be rushed before the election. This is not about what’s fair for Democrats or fair for Republicans, it is what is right for the nation in a moment where we need our leaders the most.”
Harrison is in a close race with Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who also serves as the Judiciary Committee chairman, and has scheduled confirmation hearings to begin on Oct. 12, just three weeks before the election.
“I’m very committed to ensuring that the nominee gets a challenging, fair and respectful hearing,” Graham said in a news release.
Graham, who is seeking a fourth term, hopes to have the hearings wrapped up by Oct. 26.
Graham on Tuesday is scheduled to meet with Barrett at the U.S. Capitol.
“Judge Barrett is highly qualified in all the areas that matter – character, integrity, intellect and judicial disposition,” Graham said. “She is an outstanding Supreme Court nominee by President Trump.”
In 2016, Graham and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, opposed filling the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death, which occurred 269 days before a presidential election, saying the vote to fill the seat should wait until after the election. Senate Republicans refused to hold confirmation hearings for Obama nominee Merrick Garland.
This story was originally published September 29, 2020 at 12:03 PM.
