WASHINGTON – Today the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell making clear that the committee will not hold hearings on any nominee put forward by President Obama. People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker released the following statement:

“Even for a political party that has made obstruction its usual approach, Senate Republicans’ blind obstruction on this is, in a word, stunning. Announcing that they will not even consider a nominee, no matter their qualifications, before the nominee is even announced, is the height of irresponsibility. If there was any question about whether Republicans on the Judiciary Committee would refrain from ignoring their constitutional duties and pandering to the extremism of their party bosses, that has been put to rest today. We call on all senators to fulfill their constitutional duty and give fair consideration to the nominee to be submitted by the president.”

Recent polling from Fox News found that most Americans (62 percent) believe that the president and Congress should fill the Supreme Court vacancy.

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

###