“I have no doubts that Garland would get a lot of [Senate] votes. And I will do my best to help him get them.” [Orrin Hatch, Reuters, 5/6/2010]
“I know Merrick Garland very well … He would be very well supported by all sides [as a Supreme Court nominee] and the president knows that.” [Orrin Hatch, Reuters, 5/6/2010]
“Now I would like to state, for all of my colleagues here, that he is a very good nominee — I commend the Administration for being willing to nominate Merrick Garland…. I hope, since he is a good nominee — I think almost everybody would have to admit he’s a good nominee — that we will vote him out next week. I understand the argument against that, there is no argument against Merrick Garland at all, and perhaps we can solve that problem in the future.” [Orrin Hatch, Senate Judiciary Committee, 12/8/1995]
“To my knowledge, no one, absolutely no one disputes the following: Merrick B. Garland is highly qualified to sit on the D.C. circuit. His intelligence and his scholarship cannot be questioned.” [Orrin Hatch, Congressional Record, 3/19/97]
“Accordingly, I believe Mr. Garland is a fine nominee. I know him personally, I know of his integrity, I know of his legal ability, I know of his honesty, I know of his acumen, and he belongs on the court. I believe he is not only a fine nominee, but is as good as Republicans can expect from this administration. In fact, I would place him at the top of the list.” [Orrin Hatch, Congressional Record, 3/19/97]
“I do not think there is a legitimate argument against Mr. Garland’s nomination, and I hope that our colleagues will vote to confirm him today.” [Orrin Hatch, Congressional Record, 3/19/97]
“I have nothing against the nominee. Mr. Garland seems to be well qualified and would probably make a good judge — in some other court.” [Chuck Grassley, Congressional Record, 3/19/97]
Obama’s 300+ days in office
