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Obama to announce Merrick Garland as Supreme Court nominee Obama announces Merrick Garland as Supreme Court nominee
(about 1 hour later)
President Barack Obama will announce Merrick Garland as his nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on Wednesday morning, The New York Times reports. President Barack Obama announced Merrick Garland as his nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on Wednesday morning.
“As president, it is both my constitutional duty to nominate a justice and one of the most important decisions that I — or any president — will make,” President Obama said in an email to supporters. “In putting forward a nominee today, I am fulfilling my constitutional duty. I’m doing my job. I hope that our senators will do their jobs, and move quickly to consider my nominee.” The 63-year-old Garland has been the chief justice of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit since 1997. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton, working in the Justice Department where he eventually oversaw the prosecutions in the Oklahoma City Bombing.
The president will name the 63-year-old Garland as Justice Scalia's successor in the Rose Garden at 11am. "The one name that has come up repeatedly—from Republicans and Democrats alike—is Merrick Garland,” President Obama said from the Rose Garden. 
Reuters previously cited an anonymous source who said that President Obama would decide between Judge Sri Srinivasan or Judge Garland to replace Justice Scalia, who passed away on February 13. Both Srinivasan, 49, and Garland serve together on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. President Obama then asked the Senate to give Judge Garland a fair hearing and said that the Supreme Court is supposed to be “above politics.”
“To suggest that someone as qualified and respected as Merrick Garland doesn’t even deserve a hearing would be unprecedented."
Reuters previously reported that President Obama would decide between Judge Sri Srinivasan or Judge Garland to replace Justice Scalia, who passed away on February 13. Both Srinivasan, 49, and Garland serve together on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
However, Senate Republicans have vowed to block President Obama’s nominee for the lifetime position on the court. The Republicans hope to stall the decision until a new president is elected come November and have even created a task force to do so.However, Senate Republicans have vowed to block President Obama’s nominee for the lifetime position on the court. The Republicans hope to stall the decision until a new president is elected come November and have even created a task force to do so.
“We’re going to hold everyone accountable and make sure Democrats have to answer to the American people for why they don’t want voters to have a say in this process,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus previously said in a statement.“We’re going to hold everyone accountable and make sure Democrats have to answer to the American people for why they don’t want voters to have a say in this process,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus previously said in a statement.
Garland has served as the chief justice of the Washington appeals court since 1997, when he was appointed by President Bill Clinton.