WASHINGTON— The passing of Justice Antonin Scalia is felt around the nation as a loss. In the nation’s capital, controversy has already stirred over who will fill his vacated Supreme Court seat.
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss says that he supports the position not to take up a Supreme Court nomination in the Senate during President Obama’s final year in office.
“This decision is too important and too consequential to let this current President make the decision in an election year. The next President should choose Justice Scalia’s replacement, and American voters should have an opportunity to speak on this issue.”
“There is significant precedent for holding a Supreme Court vacancy open through the end of a president’s term in an election year,” says Senator Thad Cochran, “This is a good policy that has served the nation well and should continue to guide us. I think it is appropriate that the next president be accountable for this nomination.”
However, President Barack Obama started planning the replacement process on Saturday, almost immediately after hearing of Scalia’s death. CNN reports that the president is referring to a former list of candidates that applied for previous Supreme Court openings.
