Quote:
Originally Posted by EADGBE
If the GOP sees the writing on the wall for the probable blood bath in November, what's stopping them from turbo confirming some complete stooge like Neomi Rao or something? I don't see how Schumer can stop it. It will just be another party line vote.
The main thing that is stopping them is that they don't control when the next justice decides to step down.
If there were an immediate opening, I agree that McConnell has no shame and that he would try and ram a replacement through in the lame duck session.
I'm sure most posters will disagree, but I have my doubts about whether Thomas or Alito would step down immediately after a Trump loss in November and be complicit in McConnell putting what would effectively be an unvetted candidate on the Court.
Despite what most people think, all the justices care about their personal reputations, even Thomas, who probably cares the least. Any justice who pulled that stunt inevitably would end up on the wrong side of history.
That said, Thomas marches to his own drum, which could end up cutting either way. I guess that I think Thomas will retire whenever he decides that he no longer wants to be on the Court. That could be tomorrow, during the second month of a Biden presidency, or ten years from now. But I don't think he will retire "strategically" to help McConnell ram a conservative replacement through in a lame duck session.
Last edited by Rococo; 07-02-2020 at 11:17 AM.