Senate Republicans will not allow the confirmation proceedings for President Donald Trump's eventual Supreme Court nominee to become "destructive" like they did when Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said Thursday.
"We will give a chance for Democrats to challenge the nominee and not abuse the nominee," South Carolina Republican said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "We will let the American people look at the nominee, a highly qualified woman who will impress the country. We will try to make it a circumstance where you can learn about here, learn about the law, learn about the Senate. I want it to be meaningful and challenging but we will not let it become destructive as it was in Kavanaugh."
Graham said he has not yet released a timeline for confirmation proceedings for Trump's nominee, who is to be announced on Saturday.
"The earliest anyone has ever had a hearing from the time a nomination [was made] to a hearing was 10 days, with Justice John Paul Stevens and I think Justice [Warren] Burger," said Graham. "We are looking at a timetable like that."
Graham said his goal is to get the nominee through the committee process and to the floor in time for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to process the nomination and get a final vote before the Nov. 3 election.
"A 4-4 Supreme Court is not a good deal for America," said Graham. "We need a 9-person Supreme Court and people wonder about the peaceful transfer of power."
Graham on Thursday also said he can "assure" that there will be a peaceful transfer of power following the election, after the president on Wednesday declined to commit to what will happen if Democrat challenger Joe Biden defeats him.
"We may have litigation about who won the election, but the court would decide, and if the Republicans lose we will accept the result," said Graham. "But, we need a full court and I think that's possible before the election. The committee will do its work. We will be thorough and fair but we will be firm."
Graham added that, as a Republican, he promises that if the Supreme Court rules in favor of Biden, "I will accept that result. My hope is that we have such an overwhelming victory, we don't have to worry about the courts."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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