Oaths of Senators to support and defend the US Constitution - Senator McConnell

Congratulations to Judge Merrick Garland, who was nominated to succeed the late Judge Antonin Scalia on the US Supreme Court.  Merrick Garland was nominated by President Obama, on Wednesday morning March 16th, to fill the seat on the Supreme Court left open by Justice Scalia. Now, the US Senate must advise and consent as required by the law in our Constitution.

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Judge Merrick Garland - A native of the Chicago area, Garland graduated from Harvard College and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. After serving as a law clerk to Judge Henry J. Friendly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States, he practiced corporate litigation at Arnold & Porter and worked as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice, where he played a leading role in the investigation and prosecution of the Oklahoma City bombers.

In compliance with our US Constitution, our US Senate now has a sworn responsibility to interview Judge Garland and to vote on his nomination to the US Supreme Court.

May 5, 1789
The Senate's First Act -- the Oath Act

On May 5, 1789, the Senate passed its first bill -- the Oath Act. That first oath, for members and civil servants, was very simple: "I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States."

To Senator Mitch McConnell who put down an unprofessional and unethical threat to President Obama about appointing a successor to the deceased Judge Scalia, the message is this: You will loose this challenge to President Obama's responsibility to nominate a successor to Judge Scalia. Although your threat not to interview or call for a vote on Judge Garland may receive some short term negative gain, but the long range prediction to your stupid obstinance will be politically destructive to you and the US Senate. 

Eventually, the issue of when a President can name court appointees will somehow find its way to the United States Supreme Court. At that time, the issue will be resolved with a definitive interpretation of the US Constituion. 

A US President has the responsibility to appoint his nominees as stated in Article II, section II of the Constitution, ie, our nation's laws: (The President of the United States...) shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law....

When Seantor Mitch McConnell abdicates his responsibility to interview and call for a vote to advise and consent on President Obama's appointment of Judge Garland to the Supreme Court, he is in violation of his oath of office and, therefore, is unfit to serve in the US Senate.

If Senator McConnell continues to defy his Constutional responsibility to bring Judge Garland to a vote for approval before the judiciary committee, then he must be voted out of office. 

Senator McConnell is proviing himself as unfit to serve in the US Senate. He and his right wing Republican colleagues must be removed from political office.