Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says President Joe Biden should not “outsource” his decision on a Supreme Court nominee to the “radical left.”
In a statement on Thursday, McConnell said, “I congratulate Justice Breyer on nearly three decades of thoughtful and consequential service on the Supreme Court, capping forty-plus years of total service on the federal bench.”
He went on to note that Justice Stephen Breyer “commands respect and affection across the legal world, including from those who disagree with his judicial philosophy and conclusions in cases.”
“Justice Breyer’s commitment to the importance of a nonpartisan, non-politicized judiciary has been especially admirable. Even in the face of undue criticism from the modern political left, Justice Breyer has remained a principled voice against destructive proposals such as partisan court-packing that would shatter public trust in the rule of law,” he added.
Read the statement below:
MCCONNELL: “The American people elected a Senate that is evenly split at 50-50. To the degree President Biden received a mandate, it was to govern from the middle, steward our institutions, and unite America. [He] must not outsource this important decision to the radical left." pic.twitter.com/YMJvMea0K9
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) January 27, 2022
Finally, McConnell said, “Looking ahead — the American people elected a Senate that is evenly split at 50-50. To the degree that President Biden received a mandate, it was to govern from the middle, steward our institutions, and unite America.”
“The President must not outsource this important decision to the radical left. The American people deserve a nominee with demonstrated reverence for the written texts of our laws and our Constitution,” he added.
The statement comes after Breyer announced his plan to retire.
Biden said he has not made a choice of a nominee, but vowed, “The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity.”
“That person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court. It’s long overdue, in my opinion. I made that commitment during the campaign for president, and I will keep that commitment,” he added.
