Paul Ryan Tells A Huge Lie While Urging Republicans To Block Obama’s SCOTUS Nominee

While citing no facts or precedent, Speaker Of The House Paul Ryan lied while calling on Republicans to block President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.

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In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ryan said, “The Supreme Court is not an extension of the White House. The president has absolutely every right to nominate someone to the Supreme Court, but Congress as an equal branch also has every right not to confirm someone. We are knee deep into a presidential election and I think the precedent for not filling a Supreme Court vacancy in such a time is justified. Democrats would be doing exactly the same thing if the shoe were on the other foot.”

Speaker Ryan was, at least, honest enough to admit that if the shoe were on the other foot, he would be making a different argument, “I think everyone is going to make spin that benefits their side. I think it’s pretty obvious.”

Rep. Ryan (R-WI) was lying about the historical precedent. Since 1900, there have been eight presidential election year vacancies on the Supreme Court. On six of the eight occasions, the president’s nominee was confirmed. History also suggests that Democrats would not leave a Supreme Court seat vacated during a president’s final year in office. In 1988, Senate Democrats confirmed Anthony Kennedy during Ronald Reagan’s last year in office.

Ryan could cite no facts or historical precedent because the facts and history are not on the side of the Republican obstructionists. Senate Republicans are trying to set a new precedent by blocking President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. If Republicans wanted to be able to fill Scalia’s seat with a conservative nominee, they should have won the 2012 election.

The Republican obstruction of President Obama is rooted in right’s bitterness over losing the last two presidential elections. Congressional Republicans have attempted to invalidate the will of the majority of voters in the United States by obstructing President Obama.

Paul Ryan doesn’t have a legal or historical leg to stand on, so he lied and made up Democratic motives and historical precedent that do not exist.

Republicans are making it up as they go along, but the voters are watching, and they will pay for their obstruction in November.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association