Inside McConnell's ambiguous Scalia email

I must say I was surprised by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's quick response following news of the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia that he would not entertain confirmation of a replacement nominee this year.

I was pleasantly surprised. But I was also suspicious.

I was suspicious because Mitch McConnell has a bad track record for doing the right thing.

Now, just a few days later, my suspicion is turning to horror.

Why?

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I just got an email from McConnell that make me realize my worst fears about him are not exaggerated.

Here's what he says:

Over the weekend, our country suffered a tremendous loss in the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, an unwavering champion of our nation's Constitution and an outspoken defender of the original intent of our Founders' writings.

His presence on the Court is irreplaceable and he will be sorely missed.

The vacancy on the Supreme Court left by Justice Scalia has sent shockwaves through Washington. The next justice named to the Court will play a crucial role in determining the future of policy in America for decades to come.

This is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Senate Republicans have made a commitment to ensuring that the American people have a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court Justice.

I hope you will join us by signing the petition to stand with Senate Republicans as we hold our ground in waiting to confirm a new justice until after 2016, the time by which the American people will have chosen a new president and a new direction for our country.

Your support means everything at this pivotal moment in American history.

Sincerely,

Mitch McConnell,
U.S. Senate Majority Leader

Do you see the loophole here? It's as big as the Grand Canyon.

McConnell is not committed to the next president picking the nominee to be considered by the Senate for confirmation. He's simply committed, he writes, to waiting until after Dec. 31, 2016, to considering Barack Obama's nominee. That's what he says here.

I think he chose his words carefully.

In other words, Mitch McConnell is talking out of both sides of his mouth again.

What he says above would mean he could very well hold hearings on confirming Obama's lame-duck nomination between Jan. 1 and Jan. 20.

Why would he do such a thing?

• McConnell is a snake. He has betrayed the very voters who made him Senate majority leader time and time again. He has enabled every single initiative – legal or illegal – by Obama since he was handed the majority leader position.
• By waiting until after the election to do Obama's bidding again, he would be taking the heat off of establishment Republicans until after the election. Then there's another two years before voters will have any way to express their outrage.

And with McConnell, quite honestly, he can't even be trusted to honor his word on waiting until after the end of the year. Just look how he's changed his tune since last weekend.

Back then he said: "The American people‎ should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president."

America will not have a new president until Jan. 20, 2017.

Even that statement was too ambiguous for me. It didn't take Obama's nomination off the table. But McConnell just muddied the waters even more with new ambiguity.

The American people simply cannot count on McConnell to do the right thing.

It's just not in his nature.

Related column:

McConnell's Groundhog Day by Jane Chastain

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