On Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama continued his decision to move forward on choosing a successor to departed Justice Antonin Scalia despite the lawmakers' defiance. The president claimed that he's continuing with his plan to select a Supreme Court successor to Scalia who has an independent mind and one who can grasp how laws impact people's lives.
As Reuters reports, the Republican-led congress has shown their resistance to agree with Obama's plan to select a replacement for the long-serving conservative Justice Scalia, who died on Feb.13. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced that the lawmakers are not going to vote or conduct hearings on any Supreme Court nominee until the next president assumes the office by January. In a blog post on the independent SCOTUSblog.com website, Obama also mentioned the qualifications he's been looking for the next Supreme Court Justice.
The president further wrote that the next Supreme Court justice would be extremely qualified, according to America Aljazeera. "He or she will have an independent mind, rigorous intellect, impeccable credentials and a record of excellence and integrity. The candidate "will be someone who recognizes the limits of the judiciary's role; who understands that a judge's job is to interpret the law, not make the law."
Meanwhile, there are reports claiming Obama is pressing Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a Republican and former federal judge, as a Supreme Court candidate, Yahoo claims. Witnesses claimed that the 52-year-old Mexican-American was allegedly not interested for the post. After Scalia's death, the Supreme Court is left with four liberals and four conservatives. With Obama's appointment, it is said that his action would change the court's ideological balance.
The next U.S. presidential election will be happening on Nov. 8. The lawmakers composed of Republicans are hoping that the upcoming president would elect a Republican for the position left by Justice Scalia. During his seven years in the position as a president, Obama has elected two court justices already. He had elected Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 and Elena Kagan in 2010.
