Republicans rush to brand Obama's court pick a 'liberal' as cracks form in their ranks

[applegrove]

Republicans rush to brand Obama's court pick a 'liberal' as cracks form in their ranks
by Allan Smith at Business Insider

http://www.businessinsider.com/republican-senators-merrick-garland-liberal-vote-2016-3

"SNIP............


McConnell said that he wouldn't even meet with Garland after hearing of the announcement.

But his Republican colleagues are at least a bit more open to a meeting. The White House reportedly said that Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the powerful chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would meet with Garland following the upcoming Senate recess.

Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, and Rob Portman of Ohio all said that they would also be open to meeting with Garland. But they didn't necessarily say that they'd be open to ultimately holding a confirmation hearing for him.

Kirk, who is facing a tough reelection this year in a Democratic-leaning state, has perhaps gone the furthest of his entire caucus. He previously said that he has a "duty as a senator to either vote in support or opposition" for whomever Obama nominated.


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