Murkowski Doubles Down on Opposition To Supreme Court Nomination Ahead of an Election

By Savannah Rychcik September 20, 2020 at 4:39pm

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is making it clear she does not approve of taking up a Supreme Court nomination ahead of the November presidential election.

“For weeks, I have stated that I would not support taking up a potential Supreme Court vacancy this close to the election. Sadly, what was then a hypothetical is now our reality, but my position has not changed,” Murkowski said in a statement.

She added, “I did not support taking up a nomination eight months before the 2016 election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Scalia. We are now even closer to the 2020 election – less than two months out – and I believe the same standard must apply.”

Here’s the full Sen. @lisamurkowski statement: pic.twitter.com/jlzOsTqSNp

— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) September 20, 2020

Murkowski is not the only key Republican senator to oppose filling the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat before the election.

In a statement released on Saturday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) stressed the seat should be filled by the next president.

“In order for the American people to have faith in their elected officials, we must act fairly and consistently- no matter which political party is in power. President Trump has the constitutional authority to make a nomination to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, and I would have no objection to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s beginning the process of reviewing his nominee’s credentials,” Collins said.

She continued, “Given the proximity of the presidential election, however, I do not believe that the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election. In fairness to the American people, who will either be re-electing the president or selecting a new one, the decision on a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court should be made by the President who is elected on November 3rd.”