Tagged with "scotus"

WASHINGTON, D.C. — One of the biggest uncertainties in United States v. Texas, a challenge to Obama administration programs that could enable over 4 million undocumented immigrants to temporarily remain in the country, is whether the justices will actually reach a clean decision. With one seat vacant, and Texas’ allies in the Senate determined not to confirm anyone President Obama names to fill that seat, there is a very real possibility that the Court will split 4-4 in this case — thus leaving question of whether the administration acted legally unresolved.

Two years ago, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, a case which seemed to present the stark question of whether many women’s bosses get to decide if they have access to birth control. Hobby Lobby was one of the biggest stories of that year, with interest groups and elected officials on both sides of the issue blitzing the media to offer their viewpoints about this case.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) vowed moments after learning of the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last month that his Republican majority would obstruct any attempt by President Obama to fill his seat — and the vast majority of his GOP colleagues quickly followed suit. But in the past, many of the Republicans who now refuse to even giving a confirmation hearing to Supreme Court nomineeMerrick Garland voted to confirm him and praised him as an impressive legal mind.

Who Is Merrick Garland?

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the longest serving Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, offered his own thoughts on who President Obama should nominate to fill the seat left open by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last week. “[Obama] could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man,” Hatch told the conservative news site Newsmax, before adding that “he probably won’t do that because this appointment is about the election. So I’m pretty sure he’ll name someone the [liberal Democratic base] wants.”

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