Who Is Obama's Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland?
Calling him a "thoughtful, fair-minded judge who follows the law," President Barack Obama nominated fellow Chicagoan Merrick Garland, 63, chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
"This is the greatest honor of my life, other than Lynn agreeing to marry me 28 years ago. It's also the greatest gift I've ever received, except and there's another caveat, the birth of our daughters, Jessie and Becky," said Garland Wednesday in reaction to the nomination after Obama had introduced him.
"As my parents taught me by both words and deeds. A life of public service is as much a gift to the person who serves as it is to those he is serving and for me there could be no higher public service than serving as a member of the United States Supreme Court," he added.
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Obama forged ahead with choosing Garland despite Senate Republicans vowing to obstruct anyone he nominates to replace Scalia who died on Feb. 13.
"To suggest that someone as qualified as Merrick Garland doesn't even deserve a hearing let alone an up or down vote to join an institution as important as our Supreme Court when two thirds of Americans believe otherwise, that would be unprecedented," said Obama.
"To suggest that someone who has served his country with honor and dignity with a distinguished track record of delivering justice for the American people might be treated, as one Republican leader stated, as a political piñata, that can't be right," he added.
Before making his case and asking for a fair hearing, Obama introduced Garland as a consensus candidate for the Supreme Court. He highlighted his devotion to his family and stellar reputation in the legal fraternity.
Garland, who is Jewish, was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in April 1997 according to court's website. He became chief judge on February 12, 2013.
He went to Harvard College on scholarship and is a 1977 Harvard Law School graduate. He served as law clerk to Judge Henry J. Friendly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and to U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.
Obama noted that he was born and raised in Chicago and worked as a tutor by stocking shoes for a shoe store and selling his comic book collection to get through Harvard.
He also noted Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah's endorsement of Garland. Hatch is considered one of the U.S. Senate's foremost scholars of the Constitution and the Supreme Court.
"The President told me several times he's going to name a moderate [to fill the court vacancy], but I don't believe him," Hatch who describes Garland as a moderate told Newsmax last Friday. "[Obama] could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man."
Garland was considered and passed over for two previous high court vacancies and Obama chose to highlight that fact in making the case for Garland Wednesday, noting that his pick has been a consideration for a long time across party lines.
"Tomorrow Judge Garland will travel to the Hill to meet with senators one-on-one. I simply ask Republicans in the Senate to give him a fair hearing and then an up or down vote. If you don't then it will not only be an abdication of the Senate's constitutional duty, it will indicate a process for nominating and confirming judges that is beyond repair," warned Obama.
"It will mean everything is subject to the most partisan of politics. Everything. It will promote an endless cycle of more tit-for-tat and will prevent any president, Democrat or Republican from carrying out their constitutional function," he continued.
He further argued that the reputation of the Supreme Court will be staked on how the Senate responds to Garland's nomination.
"The reputation of the Supreme Court will inevitably suffer. Faith in our justice system will inevitably suffer. Our democracy will ultimately suffer as well. I have fulfilled my constitutional duty. Now it's time for the Senate to do theirs. Presidents do not stop working in the final year of their term, neither should the Senate," he said.
Pointing out that the Senate will be taking a two week break starting Thursday, Obama urged senators to use the time to reflect on what will happen if Garland isn't given a hearing.
"My earnest hope is that senators take that time and reflect on the importance of this process to our democracy. Not what's expedient, not what's happening at the moment. What does this mean for our institutions? For our common life? The stakes, the consequences, the seriousness of the job we all swore and oath to do," he said.
"When they return, I hope they will act in a bipartisan fashion. I hope they are fair. That's all. I hope they are fair as they did when they confirmed Merrick Garland to the D.C. Circuit. I ask that they confirm Merrick Garland now to the Supreme Court so that he can take his seat, in time to fully participate in its work for the American people this fall. He is the right man for the job. He deserves to be confirmed," said Obama.
Garland said he has staked his entire career on "fidelity to the constitution" as well as respect for the law "without prejudice or partisanship" and promised to continue in that vein if his nomination is confirmed.
"Trust that justice will be done in our courts without prejudice or partisanship is what in a large part distinguishes this country from others. People must be confident that a judge's decisions are determined by the law and only the law," he said.
"For a judge to be worthy of such trust, he or she must be faithful to the Constitution and the statutes passed by the Congress. He or she must put aside his personal views or preferences and follow the law, not make it," he continued.
"Fidelity to the Constitution and the law has been the cornerstone of my professional life. And it's the hallmark of the kind of judge I have tried to be for the past 18 years. If the Senate sees fit to confirm me for the position to which I've been nominated today, I promise to continue on that course. Mr. President, it's a great privilege to be nominated by a fellow Chicagoan. I am grateful beyond words for the honor you have bestowed upon me," he said.
A new ABC News-Washington Post poll said 63 percent of Americans favor hearings and a vote on whether to accept Obama's nominee to replace Scalia. Some 32 percent, agree with Senate Republican leaders that the nomination should be left for Obama's successor.
