GOP brushes back charges of hypocrisy in Supreme Court fight | TheHill - The Hill

Republicans are brushing back charges of hypocrisy as they march toward a possible vote ahead of the election that would confirm a nominee from President TrumpDonald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE to replace Justice Ruth Bader GinsburgRuth Bader GinsburgRegina King accepts Emmy wearing Breonna Taylor shirt, urges viewers to vote Ocasio-Cortez to voters: Tell McConnell 'he is playing with fire' with Ginsburg's seat Mural of Ruth Bader Ginsburg pops up blocks away from White House MORE on the Supreme Court.

Democrats have howled that it would be the height of hypocrisy for Republicans to confirm a Trump nominee weeks before an election after they refused to hold even a hearing for Merrick GarlandMerrick Brian GarlandOcasio-Cortez to voters: Tell McConnell 'he is playing with fire' with Ginsburg's seat Video shows NYC subway station renamed after Ruth Bader Ginsburg Alexander backs vote on Trump Supreme Court nominee: What Democrats 'would do if the shoe were on the other foot' MORE, President Obama’s nominee, after conservative Justice Antonin Scalia died on Feb. 13, 2016.

Two GOP senators, Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Most Americans think winner of election should pick next Supreme Court justice: poll Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election MORE of Maine and Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Most Americans think winner of election should pick next Supreme Court justice: poll Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election MORE of Alaska, have said they do not think the Senate should vote on a nominee before the election, saying a standard was set when Garland was blocked by Republicans.  

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But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOcasio-Cortez to voters: Tell McConnell 'he is playing with fire' with Ginsburg's seat McConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Video shows NYC subway station renamed after Ruth Bader Ginsburg MORE (R-Ky.) argues this time is different because it is a Republican president in the White House and the GOP holds the Senate. In 2016, McConnell says, it was appropriate to block Garland because the GOP held the Senate and a Democrat held the White House.

Republicans appear to be getting behind McConnell for the most part. Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Will Republicans' rank hypocrisy hinder their rush to replace Ginsburg? Momentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day MORE (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, once said he would oppose such a move and encouraged people to use his words against him if he changed his position. Over the weekend, he signaled support for replacing Ginsburg quickly with a Trump nominee.

“Being lectured by Democrats about how to handle judicial nominations is like an arsonist advising the Fire Department,” Graham, who is in a tight reelection race, tweeted Sunday.

He also criticized the other party over the furious battle over Justice Brett KavanaughBrett Michael KavanaughMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Names to watch as Trump picks Ginsburg replacement on Supreme Court Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE’s confirmation and suggested this was payback.

“Democrats chose to set in motion rules changes to stack the court at the Circuit level and they chose to try to destroy Brett Kavanaugh’s life to keep the Supreme Court seat open. You reap what you sow.”

Sen. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Alexander backs vote on Trump Supreme Court nominee: What Democrats 'would do if the shoe were on the other foot' Toobin: McConnell engaging in 'greatest act of hypocrisy in American political history' with Ginsburg replacement vote MORE (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, issued a statement Sunday calling such action by the Senate no surprise.

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“No one should be surprised that a Republican Senate majority would vote on a Republican President’s Supreme Court nomination, even during a presidential election year. The Constitution gives senators the power to do it. The voters who elected them expect it,” he said.

Questioned aggressively by Fox News’s Chris WallaceChristopher (Chris) WallaceBattle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates Chris Wallace presses Cotton on 'any hypocrisy' between comments on Supreme Court vacancy in 2016 and today MORE on "Fox News Sunday" over whether Republicans were being hypocritical on the issue, Sen. Tom CottonTom Bryant CottonBattle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates Chris Wallace presses Cotton on 'any hypocrisy' between comments on Supreme Court vacancy in 2016 and today MORE (R-Ark.) held his ground.

Wallace played video of comments by Cotton in 2016 arguing it would be wrong for the Senate to vote on a replacement for Scalia before the presidential election.

“Why would we squelch the voice of the people? Why would we deny the voters a chance to weigh in on the makeup of the Supreme Court?” Cotton said on the Senate floor in 2016.

“You don’t see any hypocrisy between that position then and this position now?” Wallace asked.

“Chris, the Senate majority is performing our constitutional duty and fulfilling the mandate that the voters gave us,” Cotton responded.

Democrats say McConnell’s logic is tortured and warn it will lead to an escalating series of events if they control the White House and Senate after the election. Some Democratic lawmakers are already calling for nixing the legislative filibuster and expanding the Supreme Court next year if they are in the majority as retaliation if the GOP confirms a third nominee for Trump. 

“It's superficially hypocritical, isn't it,” former President Clinton, who nominated Ginsburg to the court, said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“Mitch McConnell wouldn't give president Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, a hearing 10 months before the presidential election, and that meant that we went a long time with eight judges on the court,” he added.

The charges of hypocrisy are the latest entry in an increasingly toxic, years-long feud between the two parties over the courts.

Democrats nixed the filibuster for most nominations in 2013, and Republicans got rid of the same 60-vote threshold for Supreme Court nominations in 2017, allowing the party in the majority to confirm picks without any bipartisan support.

Republicans argue that Democrats laid the groundwork for the current dynamic with their decision in 2013, but Democrats scoff at the notion that McConnell wouldn't have gotten rid of the same procedural hurdle when it was convenient. 

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The Senate leader’s office has circulated a fact sheet pointing to McConnell’s distinction between the single-party dominance of the White House and Senate in 2020 and 2016’s divided White House and Senate majority.

“Leader McConnell consistently explained that a Senate controlled by the party opposite that of the president hasn’t filled a Supreme Court vacancy in a presidential election year for over a century,” stated McConnell’s office.

Not every Republican agrees with McConnell.

“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,” Collins, who is in the midst of a difficult reelection race, said in a statement released Saturday.

Trump responded to Collins in comments to White House pool reporters on Saturday, explaining that he believed he had an “obligation” to his voters to pick the next nominee. That decision could come as soon as this week. Republicans can confirm a nominee with 50 votes and a tie-breaker from Vice President Pence, meaning unless two more GOP senators oppose replacing Ginsburg before the election, it seems likely they will move forward.

“Well, I totally disagree with [Collins],” Trump said before heading to a campaign event in North Carolina. 

“We have an obligation. We won. And we have an obligation, as the winners, to pick who we want. That’s not the next president. Hopefully, I’ll be the next president,” Trump said. “But we’re here now. Right now, we’re here. And we have an obligation to the voters, all of the people — the millions of people that put us here in the form of a victory.” 

Jordain Carney contributed to this report, which was updated at 7:38 a.m.

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