In a Judiciary Committee meeting earlier today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) warned of the President’s conflict of interest as it relates to picking a new Supreme Court justice, while he is a subject of a criminal investigation that could eventually come before the highest court.
“The President of the U.S., right now, is a subject of an ongoing criminal investigation – an investigation that every member of this Committee knows could end up before the Supreme Court, “ Booker said. “And we have a President who has in the past, has seemed to be asking people for loyalty tests, who has seemed to have litmus tests in regard to this investigation.
“And so if we’re not going to thoroughly discuss what it means to have a President with this ongoing investigation happening who is now going to interview Supreme Court justices, and potentially continue with his tradition of doing litmus tests, loyalty tests, for that person, we could be participating in a process that could undermine that criminal investigation,” Booker added.
“I do not believe this Committee should or can in good conscience consider a nominee put forward by this President until that investigation is concluded.”
Booker also reiterated his position that the Senate should abide by the McConnell standard set in 2016 and wait for the American people to have their say in the November elections before bringing a nominee before the Senate.
