WASHINGTON –(ENEWSPF)–April 7, 2016. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) released the following statement today during President Obama’s address at the University of Chicago Law School about his nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick B. Garland:
“I urged my Republican colleagues yesterday to meet with Judge Garland and remain committed to the belief that the Judge deserves a thorough hearing process and a vote here in the Senate. I want to thank President Obama for his kind note following my meeting with Judge Garland and though I was unable to attend his address, appreciate him extending the invitation for me to join him today in Chicago.”
BACKGROUND:
Senator Kirk met with Judge Garland last week, becoming the first Republican to do so. Senator Kirk has been outspoken in his support for the Supreme Court confirmation process, calling for Senate hearings, urging his colleagues to meet with Judge Garland, and supporting an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.
- In An Op-Ed, Senator Kirk Called For A Hearing And Vote On The President’s Supreme Court Nominee. “I also recognize my duty as a senator to either vote in support or opposition to that nominee following a fair and thorough hearing along with a complete and transparent release of all requested information. The Senate’s role in providing advice and consent is as important and significant as the president’s role in proposing a nominee.” (Mark Kirk, “Sen. Mark Kirk: Scalia replacement must ‘bridge differences,’” Chicago Sun-Times, 2/22/16)
- Senator Kirk Urged His Colleagues To Give Judge Garland An Up-Or-Down Vote. “Illinois Republican U.S. Senator Mark Kirk says his fellow Republicans should ‘man up’ and vote one way or the other on President Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland.” (“Senator Kirk: Senate should ‘Man up’ and vote on Obama nominee,” WLS-AM News, 3/18/16)
- Senator Kirk Was The First Republican Senator To Call For A Vote. “Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois on Friday became the first Republican senator to call for an up-or-down vote on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, saying on a Chicago radio show that his colleagues ought to ‘just man up and cast a vote.’” (Mike DeBonis, “Mark Kirk is first Republican senator to call for vote on Garland,” Washington Post, 3/18/16)
- Senator Kirk Was The First Republican Senator To Meet With Judge Garland. “Under a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., met with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland on Tuesday and called on his GOP Senate colleagues to be ‘rational’ and not block consideration of President Barack Obama’s pick. … Kirk and Garland huddled for about 25 minutes in Kirk’s Hart Senate Building office, with Kirk distancing himself further from his GOP Senate leadership by being the first Republican senator to meet with the federal appellate judge.” (Lynn Sweet, “Sweet: Senate GOP must be ‘rational’ about court pick, Kirk says,” Chicago Sun-Times, 3/29/16)
- Senator Kirk Urged Republican Senators To Meet With Judge Garland. “As the first #GOP Senator to meet with #MerrickGarland, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the same.” (Mark Kirk, Twitter, 3/29/16)
- Senator Kirk Distributed a Memo to His Senate Colleagues Urging them to Meet with Judge Garland. “We had a positive conversation, and I encourage you to meet with him,” he said in the memo. (Emmarie Huetteman, “Senator Mark Kirk Urges Republican Colleagues to Meet with Judge Merrick Garland,” The New York Times, 4/6/15)
Source: http://www.kirk.senate.gov
