A few lies from Joni Ernst

[rurallib]

Pushing the propaganda:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the tragic death of Justice Antonin Scalia and the resulting vacancy on the Supreme Court. It is important for me to hear from folks in Iowa on important matters such as this.

On February 13, 2016, Justice Antonin Scalia passed away in his sleep in Shafter, TX. Justice Scalia was a passionate defender of our Constitution and one of the most influential legal minds of our time. His nearly thirty years of service on the Supreme Court were marked by a deep commitment to upholding the principles on which our great country was founded. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Justice Scalia, and my thoughts and prayers continue to be with his family.

As you know, the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution states that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint...Judges of the Supreme Court." Thus, while the President may submit a nomination, it is the Senate that has the constitutional authority to grant – or withhold – consent to the President's nominee. As Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has previously acknowledged, "[n]owhere in that document does it say the Senate has a duty to give Presidential appointees a vote."

Senate confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year is rare – it has been almost 80 years since a Supreme Court justice has been both nominated and confirmed in a presidential election year. We have to look back even further to 1888 to find a Supreme Court justice who was both nominated and confirmed under divided government in a presidential election year. Today, in the midst of a critical national election, the Senate has the unique opportunity to pause and give the American people a voice in the type of jurist that should fill the vacancy left by Justice Scalia.

As your Senator, I take the role of judicial confirmation very seriously, and I appreciate your input. Please feel free to contact my office with any additional information, as I always enjoy hearing from Iowans.

Sincerely,

Joni K. Ernst
United States Senator

[IADEMO2004]

1. P.S. Thank You to my staff for composing this steaming pile.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

2. Response: I thought you joined the military to defend our

democracy and government.

Why do you now seek to prevent our government and elected, twice, president from carrying out his duty and why are you unwilling to do yours?

[progressoid]

8. Sadly, these people think they are defending democracy.

They believe they are protecting us from that commie Muslim dictator Obama!

[CoffeeCat]

3. Extremely pathetic and hypocritical

Have Democrats ever prevented a sitting Republican President from appointing Supreme Court nominees?

They are nothing but bullies. They don't play fair.

And I guess Ernst is just like them. No big surprise.

[rurallib]

5. I have come to believe Joni is just an actress playing a role

The directors (repug strategerists) and the producers (Charles and David) tell her what to do and provide the props.
What a great gig.
She could be another Reagan!

[liberal N proud]

4. Break out the breadsaks.

[Horizens]

6. Now For Some Facts

Contrary to the drivel being spewed by Republicans, twelve Supreme Court Justices have been nominated and confirmed in an election year.

In three cases presidents who were “lame ducks” in the real meaning of the phrase nominated them. (Their successors had been elected but not yet taken office.) *

Chief Justice John Marshall nominated by President: John Adams in January 1801. Confirmed January 1801. *

Justice William Johnson nominated by President: Thomas Jefferson on March 22, 1804. Confirmed on May 7, 1804

Justice Samuel Nelson nominated by President: John Tyler on
February 1845. Confirmed March 1845. *

Chief Justice Melville W. Fuller nominated by President: Grover Cleveland in April 1888. Confirmed: July 1888

Justice William B. Woods nominated by President: Rutherford Hayes nominated on December 21, 1880. Confirmed on January 5, 1881. *

Justice George Shiras nominated by President Benjamin Harrison in January 1892. Confirmed: July 1892.

Justice Mahlon Pitney nominated by President William Taft on
March 13, 1912. Confirmed on March 18, 1912.

Justice Louis D. Brandeis nominated by President Woodrow Wilson on January 28, 1916. Confirmed June 1, 1916

Justice John H. Clark nominated by President: Woodrow Wilson
On July 14, 1916. Confirmed on July 21, 1916.

Justice Benjamin N. Cardoza nominated by President: Herbert Hoover in January 1932. Confirmed March 1, 1932.

Justice Frank Murphy nominated by President F.D. Roosevelt
In January 1940. Confirmed: January 1940.

Justice Anthony Kennedy nominated by President Ronald Reagan on November 30, 1987. Confirmed February 3, 1988.

[rurallib]

7. thanks much. Think I will copy and send to Ernst.

I suppose technically a president was never a 'lame duck' until the ?? amendment limited a president to 2 terms. But before FDR 2 terms was kind of an unwritten rule.

[47of74]

9. Did she actually come up with herself?

Or did someone give that to her?

[rurallib]

10. I doubt any member of congress does any research like that

surely these are repuke talking points.
I doubt she even approved sending these as her standard response. Most likely some staffer.

But her name is on it and you know how repukes are always talking about being being responsible for what they do.
I plan to make it a blog post nest week.