Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Brian Sandoval for Supreme Court Seat Is 'Downright Absurd', Liberal
Activists Say
________________________________________
Brian Sandoval for Supreme Court Seat Is 'Downright Absurd', Liberal
Activists Say
By David Smith [1] / The Guardian [2]
February 25, 2016
Liberal activists have condemned reports that Barack Obama [3] is
considering a Republican politician to fill the contentious vacancy on the
supreme court, saying such a move would be "downright absurd".
Brian Sandoval, the governor of Nevada and a former district court judge, is
being vetted by the White House as a potential nominee to succeed the late
Antonin Scalia, the Washington Post reported [4] on Wednesday.
Naming Sandoval could be seen as a canny manoeuvre to call the bluff of
Republicans [5] who have vowed to neither confirm nor even hold hearings for
Obama's nominee, contending that the decision should rest with the next
president.
But Democracy for America, a grassroots political organisation founded by
prominent Democrat Howard Dean, said Sandoval's rightwing record might
oblige it to call on Senate Democrats [6] to block his appointment.
Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, said:
"It's downright absurd that President Obama would risk his legacy by
appointing another anti-labour Republican like Governor Brian Sandoval to an
already overwhelmingly pro-big business supreme court.
"Nominating Sandoval to the supreme court would not only prevent grassroots
organisations like Democracy for America from supporting the president in
this nomination fight, it could lead us to actively encouraging Senate
Democrats to oppose his appointment."
Chamberlain added: "The American people re-elected President Obama because
we wanted a leader who would ensure our courts are filled with judges who
understand that our constitution is rooted in progressive values that
clearly protect things like abortion rights and sit at odds with rulings
like Citizens United, not country club Republicans like Brian Sandoval."
Citing two unnamed sources familiar with the process, the Washington Post
reported that Sandoval, seen as a moderate Republican, is being vetted by
the White House and on Monday met the Democrats' Senate minority leader
Harry Reid, a fellow Nevadan. "Sandoval is increasingly viewed by some key
Democrats as perhaps the only nominee President Obama could select who would
be able to break a Republican blockade in the Senate," the paper added.
His nomination could leave Senate Republicans in battleground states
struggling to explain why they object to one of their own. The Senate
unanimously confirmed Sandoval as a district court judge in 2005 after he
was nominated by President George W Bush. He quit the bench in 2009 to run
for governor and has implemented Obama's Affordable Care Act. But many
Democrats would find such an overtly political move unpalatable.
Former president Bill Clinton, speaking at a campaign rally for his wife
Hillary in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday, earned enthusiastic shouts and
applause when he said: "The president should make this appointment and he
should appoint the best person he can find, and then if that person doesn't
get a hearing, let the American people judge."
Sandoval would also come as a shock to liberal pressure groups who, despite
the congressional deadlock, have been hoping for a groundbreaking nominee
such asSri Srinivasan, who would be the first Asian American on the court
and has bipartisan credentials of his own [7].
Washington lobbyist Vincent Eng, whose clients include the National Asian
Pacific American Bar Association, said he would be "surprised" if the report
is accurate. "It's the president's prerogative, but I don't know if Brian
Sandoval shares the values of the president. There are a lot of other
candidates out there who do share the values of the president."
He warned: "There would be a lot of disappointment if Brian Sandoval is
nominated, particularly because there are other options out there that are
far more inspiring."
Eng also warned that, irrespective of his choice, Obama faces the big issue
of a Republican-led Senate that seems determined to thwart him. "It's not an
issue of who you nominate, it's the bigger principle. Whether it's Brian
Sandoval or the most progressive person you can think of, it's not going to
change that."On Wednesday Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary,
declined to comment on whether the administration is considering Sandoval or
any other individual by name. But analysts suggested the report is credible.
Professor Verna Williams, co-director of the Center for Race, Gender and
Social Justice at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, said: "My
sense is that President Obama wants to do his duty. I don't think he will
take the route some have suggested by nominating someone who is very far
left as a way of making a point, assuring defeat and energising the
Democratic base.
"The president is pragmatic and smart. That's why I'm not entirely surprised
by this report. Based on what I just read, Sandoval has a lot to offer, not
the least of which is the fact that he's been vetted previously for a
judgeship and succeeded in getting a unanimous vote. What that means for the
Democratic base, I don't know. Will they be less likely to turn out? Will
they be disappointed?
"I hope not. This unprecedented show of obstructionism and disrespect for
the constitution, separation of powers principles, and even democratic
elections, demonstrate without question how important the next president is,
which should keep people motivated to stay involved."
Obama was seen last week carrying a thick binder of reading material on
potential candidates. On Wednesday he predicted that the Republican position
"may evolve" if the public believes his nominee is "very well qualified".
The president added: "I don't expect [Senate majority leader] Mitch
McConnell to say that is the case today. I don't expect any member of the
Republican caucus to stick their head out at the moment and say that. But
let's see how the public responds to the nominee that we put forward."
David Smith is the Guardian's Washington correspondent.
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Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/brian-sandoval-supreme-court-seat-
downright-absurd-liberal-activists-say
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/david-smith
[2] http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/
[3] http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/barack-obama
[4]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/02/24/brian-sandoval-r
epublican-governor-of-nevada-is-being-vetted-for-supreme-court-vacancy/?tid=
sm_tw
[5] http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/republicans
[6] http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/democrats
[7]
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/feb/24/sri-srinivasan-potential-obama-su
preme-court-nominee-senate-republicans
[8] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Brian Sandoval for
Supreme Court Seat Is 'Downright Absurd', Liberal Activists Say
[9] http://www.alternet.org/
[10] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Brian Sandoval for Supreme Court Seat Is 'Downright Absurd', Liberal
Activists Say
Brian Sandoval for Supreme Court Seat Is 'Downright Absurd', Liberal
Activists Say
By David Smith [1] / The Guardian [2]
February 25, 2016
Liberal activists have condemned reports that Barack Obama [3] is
considering a Republican politician to fill the contentious vacancy on the
supreme court, saying such a move would be "downright absurd".
Brian Sandoval, the governor of Nevada and a former district court judge, is
being vetted by the White House as a potential nominee to succeed the late
Antonin Scalia, the Washington Post reported [4] on Wednesday.
Naming Sandoval could be seen as a canny manoeuvre to call the bluff of
Republicans [5] who have vowed to neither confirm nor even hold hearings for
Obama's nominee, contending that the decision should rest with the next
president.
But Democracy for America, a grassroots political organisation founded by
prominent Democrat Howard Dean, said Sandoval's rightwing record might
oblige it to call on Senate Democrats [6] to block his appointment.
Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, said:
"It's downright absurd that President Obama would risk his legacy by
appointing another anti-labour Republican like Governor Brian Sandoval to an
already overwhelmingly pro-big business supreme court.
"Nominating Sandoval to the supreme court would not only prevent grassroots
organisations like Democracy for America from supporting the president in
this nomination fight, it could lead us to actively encouraging Senate
Democrats to oppose his appointment."
Chamberlain added: "The American people re-elected President Obama because
we wanted a leader who would ensure our courts are filled with judges who
understand that our constitution is rooted in progressive values that
clearly protect things like abortion rights and sit at odds with rulings
like Citizens United, not country club Republicans like Brian Sandoval."
Citing two unnamed sources familiar with the process, the Washington Post
reported that Sandoval, seen as a moderate Republican, is being vetted by
the White House and on Monday met the Democrats' Senate minority leader
Harry Reid, a fellow Nevadan. "Sandoval is increasingly viewed by some key
Democrats as perhaps the only nominee President Obama could select who would
be able to break a Republican blockade in the Senate," the paper added.
His nomination could leave Senate Republicans in battleground states
struggling to explain why they object to one of their own. The Senate
unanimously confirmed Sandoval as a district court judge in 2005 after he
was nominated by President George W Bush. He quit the bench in 2009 to run
for governor and has implemented Obama's Affordable Care Act. But many
Democrats would find such an overtly political move unpalatable.
Former president Bill Clinton, speaking at a campaign rally for his wife
Hillary in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday, earned enthusiastic shouts and
applause when he said: "The president should make this appointment and he
should appoint the best person he can find, and then if that person doesn't
get a hearing, let the American people judge."
Sandoval would also come as a shock to liberal pressure groups who, despite
the congressional deadlock, have been hoping for a groundbreaking nominee
such asSri Srinivasan, who would be the first Asian American on the court
and has bipartisan credentials of his own [7].
Washington lobbyist Vincent Eng, whose clients include the National Asian
Pacific American Bar Association, said he would be "surprised" if the report
is accurate. "It's the president's prerogative, but I don't know if Brian
Sandoval shares the values of the president. There are a lot of other
candidates out there who do share the values of the president."
He warned: "There would be a lot of disappointment if Brian Sandoval is
nominated, particularly because there are other options out there that are
far more inspiring."
Eng also warned that, irrespective of his choice, Obama faces the big issue
of a Republican-led Senate that seems determined to thwart him. "It's not an
issue of who you nominate, it's the bigger principle. Whether it's Brian
Sandoval or the most progressive person you can think of, it's not going to
change that."On Wednesday Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary,
declined to comment on whether the administration is considering Sandoval or
any other individual by name. But analysts suggested the report is credible.
Professor Verna Williams, co-director of the Center for Race, Gender and
Social Justice at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, said: "My
sense is that President Obama wants to do his duty. I don't think he will
take the route some have suggested by nominating someone who is very far
left as a way of making a point, assuring defeat and energising the
Democratic base.
"The president is pragmatic and smart. That's why I'm not entirely surprised
by this report. Based on what I just read, Sandoval has a lot to offer, not
the least of which is the fact that he's been vetted previously for a
judgeship and succeeded in getting a unanimous vote. What that means for the
Democratic base, I don't know. Will they be less likely to turn out? Will
they be disappointed?
"I hope not. This unprecedented show of obstructionism and disrespect for
the constitution, separation of powers principles, and even democratic
elections, demonstrate without question how important the next president is,
which should keep people motivated to stay involved."
Obama was seen last week carrying a thick binder of reading material on
potential candidates. On Wednesday he predicted that the Republican position
"may evolve" if the public believes his nominee is "very well qualified".
The president added: "I don't expect [Senate majority leader] Mitch
McConnell to say that is the case today. I don't expect any member of the
Republican caucus to stick their head out at the moment and say that. But
let's see how the public responds to the nominee that we put forward."
David Smith is the Guardian's Washington correspondent.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [8]
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.[9]
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/brian-sandoval-supreme-court-seat-
downright-absurd-liberal-activists-say
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/david-smith
[2] http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/
[3] http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/barack-obama
[4]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/02/24/brian-sandoval-r
epublican-governor-of-nevada-is-being-vetted-for-supreme-court-vacancy/?tid=
sm_tw
[5] http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/republicans
[6] http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/democrats
[7]
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/feb/24/sri-srinivasan-potential-obama-su
preme-court-nominee-senate-republicans
[8] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Brian Sandoval for
Supreme Court Seat Is 'Downright Absurd', Liberal Activists Say
[9] http://www.alternet.org/
[10] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
