Senate Republicans are developing plans to begin confirmation hearings around Oct. 12 for President Donald Trump’s pick to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, setting up a bitter partisan fight over the nomination before the November election.
The plan could lead to a final vote by the full Senate by the week of Oct. 26, according to people familiar with the process. But Democrats, who say Ginsburg’s seat should be determined by the winner of the November presidential election, could use procedural maneuvers to delay the process.
“Nothing official has been announced yet,” said Taylor Reidy, a spokeswoman for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Trump has said he will announce his nominee on Saturday. The president is currently leaning toward choosing Amy Coney Barrett, a judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and favorite of religious conservatives, people familiar with the process have said.
“I have a pretty good idea. I haven’t made a final decision, but pretty good idea,” the president said Tuesday in an interview with WGN America.
Traditional Courtesy
The committee hearings could begin as soon as Oct. 8, but it’s more likely they will begin Oct. 12, two of the people familiar with the plans said.
The tentative GOP schedule doesn’t include time for Democrats to delay the committee vote by one week -- a traditional courtesy afforded to the minority party.
Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democratic leader, said Wednesday that while he hopes Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham will stand by past practice and allow more time, there may be little Democrats can do to stop such a compacted schedule if the chairman decides to ignore them.
“There are things in here that they’re clearly just going to sweep aside,” Durbin, who said he had not seen the tentative GOP plan, said in an interview. “They’re hell bent on getting this done as fast as possible. They think it helps Donald Trump get re-elected.”
Senate Republican leaders have said they expect Graham to develop his schedule in consultation with Dianne Feinstein, the panel’s ranking Democrat. Feinstein said Wednesday she hasn’t seen the schedule and declined to comment.
Senator John Thune, the second-ranking GOP leader, said a majority of Republican senators want a vote before the election, but there are “differences” and no decision has been made. Graham has said repeatedly this week that he’s confident a vote will be held before Election Day.
Before the nomination fight kicks off, Trump plans to visit the Supreme Court on Thursday to “pay his respects” to Ginsburg, the White House said.
Ginsburg is lying in repose at the high court on Wednesday and Thursday, allowing the public to view her casket under the court’s front portico. On Friday, the pioneering justice will become the first woman ever to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.
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