Political Quotes

“I have served in this Chamber for 42 years and served as chairman or ranking member of the Judiciary Committee for nearly two decades. I have seen a lot of debates, even contentious ones, and good-faith disagreements between Senators. But what Senate Republicans did this year to shut down Chief Judge Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court--well, it might be the most outrageous act of obstruction and irresponsibility that I have seen in my entire time in the Senate. It is a dangerous step toward politicizing our highest Court, in a judicial system that long has been the envy of the world. Now that there is a Republican President about to be sworn in, I predict that all of a sudden we will hear Republicans talking about the importance of the Supreme Court having its full nine Justices. But make no mistake, these will be the same Senators who turned their backs on the Court and the American people for nearly a year by refusing to fill the vacancy since February. Senate Republicans cared more about preserving that vacancy for a Republican president than they did about an independent Supreme Court. The result was that they blocked one of the most qualified Supreme Court nominees in this Nation's history. Chief Judge Garland is an exceptional jurist with a stellar record and impeccable credentials. He has the most Federal judicial experience of any Supreme Court nominee ever.…”