What They're Saying in Alaska about the Supreme Court Nomination

Across the state, Alaskans continue to speak out against Senate Republicans’ refusal to do their job and give Judge Garland a hearing and vote. From tribal leaders to local newspapers, Alaska voices have sounded a disappointed tone in Senator Murkowski and Sullivan’s decision to inject partisanship into the Supreme Court and in their refusal to carry out certain parts of their jobs for partisan gain.

Julie Kitka, President of the Alaska Federation of Natives: “Kitka said ‘Native people have faced centuries of discrimination threats to rights to our ancestral property, languages, cultural forms of governance and basic social service, it's time for the president to consider a native American be nominated to the u s supreme court. It is in the countries best interest to have a working political system rather than one of gridlock AFN urges our congressional delegation to review carefully any nominees and support a fair and timely hearing and vote.’”

Fairbanks Daily News: Senate should hear nominee: Supreme Court vacancy no call for unprecedented breakdown of process (Editorial). “But having the right to deny a hearing doesn’t make denying a hearing right. While there are a few cases in which a Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year has been rejected by a Senate vote, denying a hearing would be unprecedented in American history.... To refuse to even entertain nominees in a hearing and leave a court seat open for a year or more is a serious dereliction of responsibility. Whether or not President Obama is able to put forth a nominee who will pass muster with Republicans, the process should be allowed to run its course. The American people deserve a government that works, not one in which each party declares it will sabotage the machinery of state when put in a political bind.”