Orrin Hatch: “before I begin, let me note that I have been very concerned about the tenor of the debate. I am very upset that…”

“before I begin, let me note that I have been very concerned about the tenor of the debate. I am very upset that yesterday my dear friend, the minority leader, yesterday attacked my other dear friend, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Grassley, by calling him inept as a committee chairman. There is no reason for that kind of language on the floor, even if it were true, which it is not, and I think the minority leader knows it is not true. Senator Grassley is one of the most effective, hard-working, decent Senators in the U.S. Senate. He is not an attorney, and yet he has run the Judiciary Committee as well as any chairman that I recall in my 40 years here. Everybody knows he treats people fairly. So I hope we can get rid of that kind of language and start treating people with decency and with regard. We differ widely with the Democrats on this issue and on other issues, but we are not slandering them. If a Republican behaved similarly, I would stand up to him. It just shouldn't happen. On Tuesday, I rose to honor the memory of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, whom I knew quite well. With his passing, the Nation lost one of its greatest Supreme Court Justices ever to have served, and I lost a dear friend. Today, I rise to make the case that the next President should chose the nominee to replace Justice Scalia.…”