Merkley vows to fight Trump's nominee to fill 'stolen' Supreme Court

Source: The Hill

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) vowed to block President Trumps Supreme Court nominee in a scathing statement Tuesday evening.

This is a stolen seat being filled by an illegitimate and extreme nominee, and I will do everything in my power to stand up against this assault on the Court, Merkley said in a statement.

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This strategy of packing the court, if successful, could threaten fundamental rights in America, including workers right to organize, womens reproductive rights, and the rights of ordinary citizens to have their voices heard in elections rather than being drowned out by the corrupting influence of dark money from the richest Americans, Merkley said.

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Merkley has said he will filibuster any Trump Supreme Court pick that is not Garland.
If President Trump were serious about healing the divisions in America and undoing the damage wrought by Senate Republicans last year, he could have named Merrick Garland to fill this seat, Merkley wrote. Garland is a centrist jurist who is respected on both sides of the aisle. Instead, he doubled down on division by picking an ideological and extreme nominee to satisfy the far right.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/317260-merkley-i-will-do-everything-in-my-power-to-block-trumps

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Merkley is asking for people to sign his petition to the senate here:
http://www.jeffmerkley.com/petition/oppose-trump-scotus-nominee/e/

Tell the Senate: Oppose Trump's Supreme Court Nominee

Our democracy and our values are threatened by a Constitution-shredding gambit to steal a Supreme Court seat.

For nearly a year, Senate Republicans refused to even hold a hearing on President Obama's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland.

Now they want to install a right-wing justice who will imperil legal abortion, marriage equality, voting rights, our "We the People" government, and so much more.

Donald Trump failed to re-nominate Judge Garland, choosing the far-right Judge Neil Gorsuch instead.

That's unacceptable, and the Senate should reject this nominee.