Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died Saturday at the age of 79, while a guest at a resort ranch in Texas. His body was found in the morning by a hotel employee after others became concerned when he did not arrive for breakfast.

Scalia had been appointed to serve on the Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.

He has been described by many in political, legal and media circles as “a giant” among his peers, a conservative who supported a strict interpretation of the written U.S. Constitution.

No sooner had a hearse transported his body away from the ranch, where he had died, alone in his room, than the power struggle began over a nomination to fill his seat on the court.

Hours later, at a televised Republican debate which was in many respects a verbal brawl, five of the six candidates agreed they should urge the Senate to fight an appointment by President Barrack Obama.

Only Jeb Bush supported Obama’s right to nominate a Supreme Court candidate.

The U.S. Constitution requires the president to nominate a candidate, who is then vetted in Senate committee hearings and approved or rejected by a vote of the Senate.

With Scalia’s seat vacant, there remain four justices appointed by Democratic presidents who are considered more liberal in their interpretation of the Constitution and four Republican appointees who are considered to be more conservative.

Hanging in the balance are appeals expected to be heard this year on abortion, affirmative action, labor unions, voting rights and the future of the Affordable Care Act.

Should any of the court’s decisions end in a 4-4 tie vote, the decision of the lower court from which it was appealed would stand.

During Saturday’s debate, Texas Senator Ted Cruz vowed to lead the fight to oppose any Obama nominee.

Republican candidate Donald Trump responded in his typically dramatic fashion, urging Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to make any nomination go away.

“Delay, delay, delay!” he said.

McConnell released a statement Saturday saying the next Supreme Court justice should not be appointed until a new president is elected in November.

I am appalled by these blatant promises of obstructionism.

Why?

I repeat: The U.S. Constitution requires the president to nominate a candidate, who is the vetted in Senate committee hearings and approved or rejected by a vote of the Senate.

I feel strongly the Senate should do its job, to carefully review any candidate presented by the president and vote.

More important than the possible balance of votes on the judicial branch is, I feel, an adherence to the constitution our public officials have vowed to uphold.

If you agree that members of the Senate should be urged to simply do their job, as outlined by the Constitution, and consider any candidate presented to them by President Obama, I urge you to contact your senator and let him know that is how you feel.

Judge Scalia himself would undoubtedly agree, were he here, that there should be no attempt to subvert the Constitution.

Linda

Wojciechowski

associate editor

Catasauqua Press