Hatch: SCOTUS Confirmation Will Be Quick For Non-Activist Nominee (VIDEO)

A key Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Monday that the president can expect a quick confirmation process for his forthcoming Supreme Court pick, provided that the nominee is qualified and not an activist.

"I can say if the president picks somebody who is clearly qualified, I think there's no question we can get that person through in a relatively short period of time," Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said during an interview on the "Today Show". "I don't see any problem if the person is highly qualified. On the other hand, if he picks somebody strictly on -- if he picks an activist judge, I don't care whether the activist judge is a liberal or conservative, we ought to do everything in our power to defeat that person."

The remarks by the Utah Republican are more significant than the usual platitudes and talking points of Supreme Court speculation. Hatch has been a booster, in the past, of Solicitor General Elena Kagan, one of the frontrunners to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens -- suggesting that he'd be comfortable with an expedited confirmation should she be the pick.

"You have to admit, Elena Kagan is a brilliant woman," Hatch said during an interview on conservative North Dakota radio last May. "She is a brilliant lawyer. If he picks her, it is a real dilemma for people. And she will undoubtedly say that she will abide by the rule of law."

Kagan currently stands on a short list of potential nominees for the Stevens slot. While administration officials won't tip their hand as to the president's thinking, they're not knocking down speculation that she's the heavy favorite either. Part of her allure is that the former Harvard Law School dean is young, previously vetted, and has bipartisan appeal. But regardless of who ends up chosen, the White House wants to avoid a bitter or extended partisan fight.

"If nominated by the date [Justice] Sotomayor was nominated [May 26], we expect the nominee should be voted on by the August recess," one administration official told the Huffington Post.

Having Hatch both supportive of the Supreme Court nominee and on record saying an expedited time frame for the confirmation process would be fine, is a nice card that the White House can keep in its back pocket.

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Comments

[Jaxy]

02:16 AM on 04/13/2010

And by "non-activist", ones assumes that this tedious tr0ll is describing the current Rethug-dominated SCOTUS ... ya know, the one that non-activistly made new "law" of an issue that had been abandoned by a litigant, and thereby bestowed "personhood" upon corporations.

And why not? I mean, if any PERSON should be deemed worthy to wholesale buy American elections, the SCOTUS is just the entity to grant that right to them!

[BambooHarvester]

01:26 AM on 04/13/2010

$TFU ~ Oral Sn@tch !

[anetgroup]

01:25 AM on 04/13/2010

Impartial observers have noted conservative justices make more "activist" decisions than liberal ones.

Guess it's just in the eye of the beholder, eh Orin?

[Hughie James]

12:32 AM on 04/13/2010

a non activist like Roberts

[KathyinCT]

12:22 AM on 04/13/2010

Hatch:

If President Obama nominates a block of wood, or perhaps a rutabaga, I predict we will confirm in record time.

[Rugger]

12:08 AM on 04/13/2010

There isn't a word in the dictionary that would be true if it crossed the lips of Orrin Hatch. This slime sucker is the epitome of a liar. Born and bred to tell untruths and mislead any who are naive enough to believe him.

[MIVOTE]

10:56 PM on 04/12/2010

"A Non Activist" = code word for: One that doesn't say anything and goes along with the status quo.

[scottymac11]

06:31 AM on 04/13/2010

I think Orrin thinks non activists means republican't gunsel for corporate profits. These profits will be judicially shielded regardless of the cost to others. An activist is one who thinks the constitution was written for all citizens as opposed to the wealthiest 1%.

[Buffyboy]

10:25 PM on 04/12/2010

Oh, **ck these Rethug senators.

[robmclaughjr]

10:02 PM on 04/12/2010

No way! We require a decent, LIBERAL justice. We need balance on the court. The GOPs have injected EXTREME right-wing judges onto the court. Putting a moderate centrist in the court is APPEASEMENT.

[ufopp]

09:57 PM on 04/12/2010

Isn't gutting gay and abortion rights activism too, even if confined to just the lower reaches of the human anatomy?

[gilbskg]

09:51 PM on 04/12/2010

I don't recall Hatch speaking out against activist judges when Scalia, Roberts, and Alito led the way to declaring a corporation has the same rights as an individual.

[northstar11]

09:21 PM on 04/12/2010

so orrin thee nominee should do what right wing nominees do ------LIE all the way through the vetting process.

[MillinMn]

09:07 PM on 04/12/2010

funny how Democrats were supposed to support the President's right to put his nominees into government when Mr. Bush the 43d was the nominating president, but now that Mr. Obama does so, Republicans want their ideology to prevail over the President's own judgment.

Not surprising, but such hypocrisy, such double standards on what rules we all follow just wear on the soul.

[FunkyMaverick]

08:13 PM on 04/12/2010

HOW TO BATTLE THE RIGHT'S H8 AND LIES :
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Stay calm - Ratcheting up things will not work - think of that man the other day sitting there being taunted and having money thrown at him - If he gets up to challenge - It turns ugly
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Stay on message - Don't get trapped into silly arguments that are only presented to waste your time and wear you down by you exerting energy
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Stick together - No matter how the one by your side might have a slightly different way to go about things ..You are STILL on the same team
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Work tirelessly - You can rest after this thing gets done
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Contact - Phone - Write - Get out there - Get involved - Make contacts - Join things
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Research - Educate yourserves - Find out whom is going to represent you and YOUR principles
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Stay positive - I always say, you can get more with the message and a kind word rather than just with the message
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VOTE - How many elections are decided by a few thousand - A few hundred ?

Does Al FRANKEN ring a bell ? Does the term 41 or supermajority ring true ?

EVERY ELIGIBLE WOMAN AND MAN ***** REGISTER AND VOTE ******

Keep the faith friends
YES WE WILL !!!

[jerryatthebeach]

08:09 PM on 04/12/2010

I thought they had already picked Ms. Kagan...