Obama SCOTUS Shortlist Narrows to Three


The search for the next justice on the Supreme Court has narrowed this week, according to reports:

President Obama has chosen three top candidates to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Reuters reported Friday.

A trio of federal appellate judges made the cut: Merrick Garland, the chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia; Judge Sri Srinivasan, of the same court; and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Paul Watford, according to sources who spoke to the wire service.

The first two are reportedly considered the top contenders.

The development is another sign Obama is nearing a decision on a nominee to replace Scalia, whose unexpected death last month set off a partisan fight over filling his seat.

NPR reported earlier this week that 8th Circuit Judge Jane Kelly and U.S. District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson were to be interviewed by Obama, but it is unclear if they are out of the running, according to Reuters.

Republican leaders in the Senate have vowed not to hold hearings or votes on Obama’s nominee, no matter who it is. They say the next president should name a replacement for Scalia, who led the court’s conservative wing.

Obama is clearly playing a political game here, but his argument that a lame duck President should be given the authority to name a replacement to the Supreme Court has been hurt in recent weeks by tapes showing he and Joe Biden making the same calls under President Bush. Only time will tell who will win this battle, but it’s sure to be contentious.

Source: The Hill



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