U.S. Senator Sen. Chuck Grassley Archives

Democrats in Washington have ripped Republicans for forging ahead with the confirmation of a new U.S. Supreme Court justice after Friday’s death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, says if Republicans do not move forward, they will have a hard time explaining the decision to voters. During an appearance Monday on Fox & Friends, Hawley, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says the U.S. Supreme Court was a central issue in the 2018 election.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) speaks to Missourinet during an interview on March 25, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Senator Hawley’s office)

“To say because they lost elections, that now that they will break all of our constitutional norms and standards, they’ll pack courts, they’ll conduct impeachment hearings to stop the president from carrying forward his constitutionally-authorized privileges and responsibilities – that’s insane,” says Hawley. “This is the same party that looks the other way while rioters and looters burn down our towns. Now the Democrats are saying they’ll burn down the Constitution.”

President Donald Trump says he plans to announce a nominee this week to fill the vacancy and vows to choose a woman. Hawley says the Senate could wrap up the confirmation process before Election Day.

“Less than three I would think. I would hope in the range of a week. It will be up to the chairman, Lindsey Graham, to put a schedule together,” says Hawley. “But I will just tell you, I think it should as quickly as possible. We need to move forward here.”

Hawley says he will only vote to confirm U.S. Supreme Court nominees who publicly oppose the Roe vs. Wade court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, joined the CBS political show “Face the Nation” on Sunday to give his position on the matter. He also thinks the confirmation process should begin.

The current U.S. Senate party breakdown is 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and 2 Independents who caucus with Democrats. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has said the upper chamber should note vote to confirm Ginsburg’s successor before the election. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said ahead of reports of Ginsburg’s death that she would not vote to confirm a nominee before the election. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a call with Iowa reporters in July that he would not recommend holding a hearing on a candidate.