Assemblymember and Former White House aide Michael A. Blake released the following statement on the nomination of Chief Judge Garland to the Supreme Court of the United States
I stand with President Obama and support his nomination of Merrick Garland to be the next Supreme Court Justice on the United States Supreme Court. From Brown vs. Board of Education to ensuring marriage equality for all, the Supreme Court is the beacon for providing justice for all. The nomination of Chief Judge Garland provides another opportunity for us to bend the moral arc of justice closer to all people in our nation. Garland was a clerk for the late Supreme Court Justice William Brennan, served as Deputy Attorney General in the Justice Department and most recently the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In Garland’s words: “The role of the court is to apply the law to the facts of the case before it—not to legislate, not to arrogate to itself the executive power, not to hand down advisory opinions on the issues of the day.” Confirming Garland to the Supreme Court means appointing someone who will remove partisanship when voting on cases before the Supreme Court. Garland’s strong track record and dedication to public service makes him a qualified candidate to fill the current vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
As Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall said, “History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.” With the end of President Barack Obama’s second term only 9 months away, we now find ourselves in a time of urgency, and Congress’s determination to block any Supreme Court nomination proposed by the President is threatening the liberty of our citizens. The President’s constitutional directive to nominate and appoint Supreme Court Justices does not become an extravagant privilege at any point during the President’s term, so the Senate’s resolute refusal to cooperate is legally unfounded. To the Senators refusing to cooperate, we urge you to #DoYourJob.
The Supreme Court will continue hearing cases regardless of whether the bench is full or not, but with only eight justices, many cases are likely to end in a split decision, leaving the rights of the American people in limbo. Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court heard an important case regarding women’s right to access abortion services without undue burden. This case has the ability to set a national precedent that will secure women’s rights to easily accessible health services, but without a full court bench, it is possible that the case will wallow in a state of uncertainty.
Other upcoming cases will address the public sector union rights, redistricting and voter rights, immigration policy, and affirmative action, cases that will affect tens of millions of people throughout the nation, including tens of thousands of Bronx residents in New York’s 79th Assembly District. We cannot let inaction hold our country back. We must move forward. Congress must fulfill their constitutional mandate.
I urge Congress to end this partisan battle, which only succeeds in threatening the liberty and the rights of the American people.
