President Barack Obama has started to explore different options on replacing the late US Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia, who recently died of an apparent heart attack. The US President has reportedly called conference meetings among his legal team and begun drawing list of possible names to fill in the vacancy.
According to CNN, the White House has already come up with a short list of people whose backgrounds are being checked by the President's team. Currently, President Barack Obama is at the West Coast for a summit with Southeast Asian leaders, but he is reportedly in touch with his senior team for the anticipated Supreme Court nomination process.
The White House Counsel's office is the one who is in-charge with the process, building teams of lawyers and general research for the President's potential candidates.
According to one Obama Administration official, Obama's team will have a broad list of names in the first few days of the process, but it is expected to be reduced to a smaller list of about eight names. By the end of the week, Americans can expect the White House team to pick three or four candidates and prepare lengthy research documents on all. That's when top officials will discuss the possible candidates with the President and get his input on the final candidates.
While Obama exerts much effort into finding the right person to replace Scalia, the opposing party is also determined to block any nomination the president puts forth.
Republicans are demanding Obama to leave the nomination of the new US Supreme Court Justice to his successor. However, the US President insists on pushing forward with a nominee before his term ends, pointing out that there's more time for the Senate to look into the said nomination, ABC News shared.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his thoughts that he would not, in any way, consider a nominee from President Barack Obama no matter how qualified, conservative or beloved the nominee will be, Vox News cited.
Nonetheless, US President Barack Obama is sticking to his plans on pushing through with a nominee in his last 10 months in office. Though, this sparks some protests from the Republicans, the US President and the White House team are firm in short-listing names to replace Justice Antonin Scalia.
