The fiery, scathing, and brilliant Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court was a controversial figure on his days on the bench. The controversy did not end with his recent death which triggered another clash in the ongoing political battle between the Republicans and the Democrats. President Barack Obama has said that he will appoint a nominee for the Senate to deliberate over, during his last year in office. The Republican Senators contest that move, arguing that Obama should leave the matter of Scalia's succession to the next president.
The Guardian describes the stakes left by Scalia's empty seat in the Supreme Court. The highest tribunal in the land is now equally divided between conservative and liberal judges. Scalia was an outspoken and unrepentant conservative. Republicans like Senator and presidential candidate Ted Cruz are wary that a liberal senator would take his place. The Democrats defend Obama's constitutional right as predecessor to name a Supreme Court justice nominee. After Scalia's death was made public, Democrat senatorial leader Patrick Leary of Vermont immediately asked for a hearing to name Scalia's successor. Republican and Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell balked and said that the hearing should take place after the next president has been installed in office.
Obama has said that he will name his nominee in the next Senate gathering.
The Times of Israel explains the Republicans' strategy. During Scalia's time, the bench was dominated by conservatives, which led to divided and inconsistent positions on sensitive issues like abortion, immigration, and affirmative action. The Republicans had already said that they will hinder an Obama attempt to name a nominee.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio does not want to give a Democratically-inclined justice a shot at the bench. He says, "I think last night with the passing of Justice Scalia, we are reminded of how important this election is, how high the stakes are and why we must win."
In the CNN report, presidential candidate Donald Trump gives this advice to McConnell. Given that Obama is unlikely to listen to the Republican-dominated House, the best thing for the Senate to do would be to "delay, delay, delay."
