SALT LAKE CITY -- Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, both Republicans representing Utah, faced a tough round of questions in separate appearances on Fox News following President Barrack Obama's announcement that he was nominating Appeals Court Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.
In fact, the President quoted Hatch in a speech the Senator made in the past, as Hatch supported Garland as a nominee to the nation's highest court in 1997.
"Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, who was then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, supported his nomination," Obama said. "Back then he said, 'In all honesty, I would like to see one person come to this floor and say one reason why Merrick Garland does not deserve this position.'"
Hatch appeared on Fox News to defend his position that it is appropriate for the Senate to defer consideration of a nominee during an election year.
"My issue here is not the person, it's a matter of the toxicity of this particular time to bring up a Supreme Court Justice nomination," Hatch said.
In an appearance on Fox News earlier in the day, Senator Lee said he did not know Garland and that the particular nominee made no difference.
"I don't care if they put my brother on there," Lee said.
Lee's statement is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Lee's brother, Thomas Lee, is a Justice on Utah's Supreme Court.
Tawnya's Roommate (@katamb55)
You might want to check with Sen. Hatch’s office again – he’s said this nominee is good.
t
Only because he got called out on what he said in 1997.
Bradfr
Republicans, is this all they can do? What a bunch of worthless do nothing people!
liberalssuck
Brad you are so right,maybe they should be more like the democrats and give billions to illegal aliens while our veterans and elderly get the leftover scraps(if their are any),or keep pushing for the killing of unborn babies(to the tune of 1.5 million a year),or maybe push for more dead police or more racial division,yeah kind of like that huh Brad?
That would make them just OK in your book huh Brad ? AT least the democrats are doing something huh Brad ?
Maybe more like that.Yeah I hate it when the republicans oppose those things it’s just awful isn’t it Brad. Huh Brad?
ANOTHERBOB
Bork him.
Bob
Right, because the democrats have never refused to vote on a supreme court justice nomination…
Terence W.
I truly wish this wasn’t about politics, especially since the SCOTUS nominee is actually GOP-rooted and has been approved by many members of the Senate back in 2010.
I get that these two arw against a nominee simply because they are from a President that is not part of your party. But the kicker? The nominee is more Conservative and upholds the law more-so than a Democratic nominee for POTUS will push for.
You both are just making yourselves look as bad as Mitch McConnell. Try working together as a governmental body, rather than saying, “No” to every good idea both parties come up with…we’re all sick of the political rhetoric.
liberalssuck
We need an evenly balanced supreme court.THAT IS THE CRUX of the issue for you liberals idiots that have an issue with the GOP blocking liberal nominations.If we don’t have an evenly balanced supreme court,WHY HAVE ONE AT ALL?
Just hand every issue over to obama and let him decide like an emporer(oh wait he already does that).And you liberals would have no issue if the supreme court was all conservatives right?
Matt Aleshire
If you’re going to report political news, at the very least learn how to spell the president’s name. Just one ‘R” in Barack.
liberalssuck
hey matt can I just use ovomit with two o’s ?
Kimber Tunbridge
I really appreciate the way that fox 13 reports news in an unbiased way. I loved a little report showing our President having a good time at the baseball game in Cuba. It is so good to see your reporters showing respect for our president and his family. Thank you for being an example of good reporting, and being respectful to all.