Judiciary chair says 'several' Republicans could be open to Biden Supreme Court pick
By Jordain Carney - 01/31/22 06:59 PM EST
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Monday that he is already reaching out to Republicans on President Biden's impending Supreme Court nominee and views “several” as open to helping confirm Justice Stephen Breyer’s successor.
“I've spoken and texted to several Republican senators that I think may be open to the idea, no promises made, of considering a Biden nominee for the court,” Durbin said.
“What I basically said to them is we're going to make the nominee available and certainly any materials and information you need so that you can draw your own conclusion as to whether she is worthy of your vote,” he added.
Biden has committed to nominating the first Black woman to the high court.
Durbin said that would be continuing that outreach this week but that there were “several Republican senators who may — underline may — consider voting for a Biden nominee to the court.”
Among the GOP senators that Durbin has spoken to is Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, with whom he says he has a "good working relationship."
“I told him that there will be no surprises as far as I was concerned, and I would never stab him in the back,” Durbin said.
In addition to Grassley, Durbin has had discussions with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
He declined to say who else he had spoken with.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/592183-judiciary-chair-says-several-republicans-could-be-open-to-biden-supreme-court-pick
