Mounting Pressure In Ohio And Across The Country For Hearing And Vote On Supreme Court Nominee
COLUMBUS – March 29, 2016 – Ohio educators, who teach students every day about the U.S. Constitution, joined the growing number of citizens who want Senator Portman to #DoYourJob at events in Cincinnati and Columbus on Tuesday.
“Supreme Court nominees deserve a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote. Both parties have always provided that respect to nominees,” said Maria Mueller, an AP Government teacher in the Mason City School District. “It’s what I teach my students every day, and we should expect the same from our elected officials.”
Events are taking place, in Ohio and across the country, nearly every day to apply pressure to members of the U.S. Senate to hold a hearing and vote on Judge Garland’s nomination.
“Senators should just do their jobs, instead of playing political games and delaying action on a Supreme Court nomination,” said Gina Daniels, a history teacher in Licking Heights. “It would be like me refusing to teach the Revolutionary War to my students. That’s unacceptable.”
Polling has found that the majority of Ohio voters think that the vacant seat on the Supreme Court should be filled this year. Editorial boards across the state, including the Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and the Cleveland Plain Dealer – which called Portman’s stance “a mistake” – have criticized Senator Portman’s refusal to do his job and fulfill his constitutional duty.” The Toledo Blade recently called Portman’s stance on the Supreme Court nomination “indefensible.”
“I agree with the 58 percent of the American public, who want President Obama to nominate someone to the Court rather than leave it vacant. It’s disheartening to think the entire justice system could come to an impasse because Republican Senators want to shape future decisions based on politics. Let’s tell the Republican Senators to do their job,” said U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-3rd District).
Last week, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) became the third Republican Senator to buck party leadership and support hearings for Garland: “I would rather have you (constituents) complaining to me that I voted wrong on nominating somebody than saying I’m not doing my job. … I can’t imagine the president has or will nominate somebody that meets my criteria, but I have my job to do. I think the process ought to go forward.”
“We need more people to stand up and speak out about the obstructionism that is all too common in Washington,” said Columbus City Council President Zach Klein. “It’s right and fair for the U.S. Senate to hold a hearing on the president’s nominee to the highest court in the land.”
Already more than 350 law professors warned Congressional leaders that, ”A long-term vacancy jeopardizes the Supreme Court’s ability to resolve disputed questions of federal law, causing uncertainty and hampering the administration of justice across the country.”
“There are too many issues at stake – from education to voting to clean energy – for the Supreme Court to be down a member,” said Cincinnati Councilmember Wendell Young. “There are very real, very significant consequences for the American people if Senator Portman manages to leave the high court in limbo.”
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities
