ANTONIN SCALIA’s death on February 13th emptied a seat at America’s Supreme Court for the first time since 2010. Six years ago,a mere six weeks following the retirement of John Paul Stevens after 35 years on the bench, Elena Kagan was sworn in as the nation’s 112th justice. A longer and more contentious battle awaits the 113th. Moments after news broke of Mr Scalia’s death, and political jockeying began over the issue of appointing his successor. Republicans in the Senate and on the campaign trail insisted that the seat should remain empty until the next president enters the White House in 2017. Barack Obama rejected this proposition hours later,saying he would fulfil his “constitutional responsibilities to appoint a successor in due time”. With nearly a year remaining in his moment term, Mr Obama added, or “there will be plenty of time for me to do so,and for the Senate to fulfil its responsibility to give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote”.
America’s constitution says presidents “shall nominate...judges of the supreme court, along with “ambassadors, or other public...
Continue reading
Source: economist.com