Ohio’s Sherrod Brown is among those supporting a new tactic by Democratic senators to force a hearing on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. WKSU’s M.L. Schultze has more on the call to cancel recess.
The resolution would force Congress to stay in session all summer --- including during both the Republican and Democratic conventions – if there are no hearings on the nomination of Merrick Garland by July 19.
Sherrod Brown has repeatedly accused GOP senators of shirking their duty by refusing to vote on Garland. Now he’s contrasting that with Republican objections to an expansion of overtime pay for people who work more than 40 hours a week.
“There’s no excuse for the Senate not doing its job. I don’t think senators should leave town. I don’t even think senators should be paid if they’re not doing their job. And the people we’re talking about today, they’re working extra hours and not getting paid; senators are working fewer hours and still getting paid.”
Ohio’s other senator, Republican Rob Portman, is among those pledging to block a hearing on Garland, saying the selection should be up to the next president. And Donald Trump has just released a list of conservative judges he says he’d consider.
