http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/270620-obama-invites-mcconnell-grassley-to-white-house By Alexander Bolton - 02/24/16 02:22 PM EST
President Obama is ratcheting up the pressure on Senate Republicans to at least talk about his plan to nominate someone to the Supreme Court to replace the late conservative justice Antonin Scalia.
Obama has invited Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to meet with him and Democratic leaders Thursday at the White House.
So far, Republicans don’t appear inclined to accept the invitation, which one GOP aide dismissed as “a photo op.”
A spokesman for McConnell confirmed that the White House is trying to set up a meeting. But the GOP aide noted that McConnell has already spoken to Obama over the telephone and knows what he wants.
The meeting request appears designed to foil McConnell’s effort to end as soon as possible the conversation about possible hearings and a vote.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and Sen. Pat Leahy (Vt.), the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee have been invited as well.
Leahy said Wednesday he plans to attend.
“He’s asked me for suggestions and I’ll give it to him privately, as I’ve always have. As I’ve had to Republican presidents, too.”
