No Order in the Court Reporting
Admittedly, it’s a somewhat nuanced argument, and heaven knows nuance is not in vogue these days. But the number of folks who misreported U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley’s views on holding Supreme Court nomination hearings yet this year was truly embarrassing.
Let’s be clear, then. In 2016, Grassley was chair of the judiciary committee which would have held hearings on President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would not bring the matter to the floor for a vote, plus there were not enough votes to confirm Garland. So Grassley declined to hold hearings, saying that there was no point in wasting time with such an exercise.
He also said that in the name of consistency, if the same situation came up in 2020, he’d guide his committee in the same way. But…he’s not chair of the committee any more, and publicly said earlier this year that should there be a court vacancy, he’d advise his successor, Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, to not hold hearings in the name of consistency.
Last night, he issued a statement on the matter. He noted that in 2016, the president and the Senate were of different parties, and the president was not running for re-election; this year, 2020, the president and the Senate are of the same party, and the president is running for re-election. Democrats say that’s a distinction without a difference.
The most important part is Grassley’s comment that he’s not one of those in charge this time, and since those in charge–McConnell and Graham–have decided it’s full steam ahead, then he’ll do his job on the committee, and cast a vote on the floor if one comes up. After all, he hasn’t missed a vote in the Senate since 1993 when he was in Iowa following the then-record floods.
Those who reported that it’s a flip flop or that Grassley said no vote in 2016 but a vote is fine in 2020 are doing him…and more importantly, you…a disservice. This is a time when facts truly matter.
