A liberal group supporting Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland is trying to link Donald Trump to Senate Republicans’ blockade of the nomination, saying lawmakers are waiting for the “racist” presumptive GOP nominee to choose his own candidate for the high court.
Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United for Change, seized on Mr. Trump’s victory in the Indiana primary Tuesday night and the elimination of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas from the race to frame the Supreme Court battle as an example of lawmakers doing Mr. Trump’s bidding.
“It’s official, Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are refusing to do their jobs because they want Donald trump — a racist, sexist, misogynistic, nativist, isolationist, pathological liar who said he would date his daughter if they weren’t related and won’t rule out using nuclear weapons in the Middle East to make the next appointment to the Supreme Court,” Mr. Woodhouse said in a statement.
The head of the progressive group called it a “suicide pact [that] is bad for our constitution and for America.”
“But at least it ensures that Republicans will go down to ignominious defeat in November,” he said.
Mr. McConnell, the Senate majority leader from Kentucky, and Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa say they want voters to weigh in on the Supreme Court vacancy by electing a new president in November. They’re refusing to hold a confirmation hearing on President Obama’s nominee.
The White House gave its strongest signal yet that Democrats’ campaign for the Garland nomination is focusing more on the Senate elections in November. The administration and its liberal allies are targeting Republican senators in swing states who are up for reelection this year, telling voters that lawmakers are refusing to “do their job” by blocking the nomination.
“This is an entirely relevant issue,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday. “If this does have an impact on their vote, Republican senators are in trouble.”
Judge Garland, 63, received the endorsement Wednesday of the Hispanic National Bar Association, which rated the nominee “well qualified” to serve on the high court.
“He has the experience, temperament and high degree of professionalism that would distinguish him” on the Supreme Court, said HNBA President Robert Maldonado.
He said Senate Republicans’ position is “unacceptable,” and said the group will lobby Mr. Grassley at his Capitol Hill office in two weeks to hold a confirmation hearing.
Americans United and others are waging a nine-day campaign in nine states over the Senate’s recess to pressure GOP lawmakers, including Mr. Grassley, to vote on the nominee.
Mr. Obama said he is tired of waiting for Iowa’s senators to hold a hearing for Judge Garland.
“He’s the chief judge of the second most important court in the land, and so the notion that Senator Grassley or Senator [Joni] Ernst wouldn’t even meet with him or if they meet with him aren’t going to give him a hearing just doesn’t make sense,” Mr. Obama said in an interview with an Iowa TV affiliate.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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