© 2025 WGCU News
PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Senator Nelson To Fellow U-S Senators: Give President's Supreme Court Nominee A Chance

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden applaud Judge Merrick Garland (middle), Obama's nominee to replace Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais
/
AP Photo
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden applaud Judge Merrick Garland (middle), Obama's nominee to replace Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson says he stands with President Barack Obama’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, the President nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. He’s currently a chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Still, the GOP-led Senate led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not backing down from its position not to consider any nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

And, U.S. Democratic Senator Bill Nelson says the Senate needs to fulfill its constitutional responsibility by filling the vacancy.

“It clearly says that the President will nominate and the Senate will either confirm or refuse to confirm,” he said, speaking to reporters last month. “It doesn’t say that you don’t even take up the nomination. So, I think it’s a very serious constitutional responsibility that I take seriously.”

After Scalia died last month, Senate Republicans vowed to wait until the next President is in place.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner .

Copyright 2020 WFSU. To see more, visit WFSU.

Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU