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Politicians React To Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's Death

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called Scalia "one of the greatest Justices in history."
Paige Lavender
By 

Senior Editor, Breaking News, HuffPost

Politicians from all around the U.S. are expressing their sorrow over the unexpected death of Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Scalia was found dead at a ranch in West Texas on Saturday.

Read reactions from lawmakers below:

Mitch McConnell
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
"Today our country lost an unwavering champion of a timeless document that unites each of us as Americans.

"Justice Scalia's fidelity to the Constitution was rivaled only by the love of his family: his wife Maureen his nine children, and his many grandchildren. Through the sheer force of his intellect and his legendary wit, this giant of American jurisprudence almost singlehandedly revived an approach to constitutional interpretation that prioritized the text and original meaning‎ of the Constitution.

"Elaine and I send our deepest condolences to the entire Scalia family.

"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.”
Harry Reid
ASSOCIATED PRESS
“There is no doubt Justice Antonin Scalia was a brilliant man. We had our differences and I disagreed with many of his opinions, but he was a dedicated jurist and public servant. I offer my condolences to his family. “The President can and should send the Senate a nominee right away. With so many important issues pending before the Supreme Court, the Senate has a responsibility to fill vacancies as soon as possible. It would be unprecedented in recent history for the Supreme Court to go a year with a vacant seat. Failing to fill this vacancy would be a shameful abdication of one of the Senate's most essential Constitutional responsibilities.”
George W. Bush
Chung Sung-Jun via Getty Images
"Laura and I mourn the death of a brilliant jurist and important American, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He was a towering figure and important judge on our Nation's highest court. He brought intellect, good judgment, and wit to the bench, and he will be missed by his colleagues and our country. Laura and I send our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to his wife, Maureen, their nine children, and the entire Scalia family."
Joe Biden
Brook Christopher via Getty Images
"Jill and I send our deepest condolences to Maureen and the entire Scalia family on the loss of their beloved husband, father, and grandfather. Justice Scalia and I had fundamental disagreements about how the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, but we shared a belief that sharp debates, tough questions, and deep respect for the adversarial process was an essential part of our judicial system and our democracy. That’s how our rule of law—forged with the deep principles and convictions of justices, and laid out in majority decisions and minority dissents—becomes the model for the world. For the country, Justice Scalia will be remembered as one of our most influential justices, who inspired and challenged generations of students, clerks, lawyers, and judges. And for so many, he will be remembered as a mentor, dear friend, and a man devoted to his faith and his family, who will miss him most of all, and who we will keep in our prayers."
Hillary Clinton
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
"My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Justice Scalia as they mourn his sudden passing. I did not hold Justice Scalia’s views, but he was a dedicated public servant who brought energy and passion to the bench. The Republicans in the Senate and on the campaign trail who are calling for Justice Scalia’s seat to remain vacant dishonor our Constitution. The Senate has a constitutional responsibility here that it cannot abdicate for partisan political reasons."
Paul Ryan
ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Justice Scalia did more to advance originalism and judicial restraint than anyone in our time, and it all started with just two words: ‘I dissent.’ The passing of this brilliant jurist is a great loss, but his writings—with their plain language and constitutional moorings—will guide generations to come. A devout Catholic, he was fond of quoting St. Paul, who commanded us to ‘think soberly.’ That Justice Scalia did, always, and our republic is better for it.“I learned so much from this man. I knew him. I respected him. I looked up to him. We all did.Tonight, Janna and I offer our sympathy and prayers to Justice Scalia’s family.”
Nancy Pelosi
Alex Wong via Getty Images
"Our family was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Justice Scalia, who made history as the first Italian American named to the Supreme Court. Through this community, I saw his pride in his heritage and, more importantly, his dedication to his beautiful family.

"Whether or not you agreed with him, Justice Antonin Scalia served our nation with deep patriotism and distinction on the Supreme Court for nearly 30 years. He has been one of the strongest voices in the great American debate around our Constitution. He leaves behind a formidable record of jurisprudence, and a fierce articulation of his understanding of the Constitution.

"My sincerest prayers and condolences are with his wife, Maureen, and his family at this most difficult hour."
Kevin McCarthy
Gabriella Demczuk via Getty Images
“Antonin Scalia was a good man and an ardent patriot. Our entire country will feel the loss of his wisdom, his wit, and his fierce defense of our Constitution. I pray for his family after this sudden loss. Our nation was lucky to have had a man of such character and intellectual depth on our highest court these past three decades. Justice Scalia is irreplaceable and we are in debt to his service.”
Pat Leahy
ASSOCIATED PRESS
According to Politico's Seung Min Kim, Leahy said, "I hope that no one will use this sad news to suggest that the President or the Senate should not perform its constitutional duty," saying that the Supreme Court "is too important to our democracy for it to be understaffed for partisan reasons. It is only February."
Marco Rubio
ASSOCIATED PRESS
"Today, our nation has suffered a deep loss. Justice Scalia was one of the most consequential Americans in our history and a brilliant legal mind who served with only one objective: to interpret and defend the Constitution as written. One of the greatest honors in my life was to attend oral arguments during Town of Greece v. Galloway and see Justice Scalia eloquently defend religious freedom. I will hold that memory forever. The next president must nominate a justice who will continue Justice Scalia's unwavering belief in the founding principles that we hold dear. Jeanette and I mourn the loss of Justice Scalia, and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Maureen and his family."
Ted Cruz
Alex Wong via Getty Images
"Today our Nation mourns the loss of one of the greatest Justices in history – Justice Antonin Scalia. A champion of our liberties and a stalwart defender of the Constitution, he will go down as one of the few Justices who single-handedly changed the course of legal history.

"As liberals and conservatives alike would agree, through his powerful and persuasive opinions, Justice Scalia fundamentally changed how courts interpret the Constitution and statutes, returning the focus to the original meaning of the text after decades of judicial activism. And he authored some of the most important decisions ever, including District of Columbia v. Heller, which recognized our fundamental right under the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms. He was an unrelenting defender of religious liberty, free speech, federalism, the constitutional separation of powers, and private property rights. All liberty-loving Americans should be in mourning.

"Justice Scalia’s three decades on the Court was one of President Reagan’s most consequential legacies. Our prayers are with his beloved wife Maureen, their nine children, and their precious grandchildren."
Bernie Sanders
Jeb Bush
JIM WATSON via Getty Images
“Today we lost a great man whose principled service left our nation vastly better off. This afternoon at Mass, Columba and I prayed for Justice Scalia, who was devout in faith and has been brought home to God in heaven. Our prayers are also with his wife, Maureen, his children and his 28 grandchildren.
Justice Scalia was a brilliant defender of the rule of law--his logic and wit were unparalleled, and his decisions were models of clarity and good sense. I often said he was my favorite justice, because he took the Constitution, and the responsibility of judges to interpret it correctly, with the utmost seriousness. Now it is up to all of us to fight for the principles Justice Scalia espoused and carry forth his legacy.”
John Kasich
Donald Trump
Dick Durbin
Chicago Tribune via Getty Images
"Justice Scalia served our country for three decades on its highest court. While our opinions on the law and jurisprudence were frequently at odds, he was steadfast and true to his beliefs during his tenure. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this time."
Mike Pompeo
Rand Paul
Chuck Schumer
ASSOCIATED PRESS
“This is sad news indeed. While I disagreed with him on so many issues, Justice Scalia was a brilliant man with a probing mind. He was a great son of Queens with a genuine joy for life.”
Steve Stockman
Justin Amash
Orrin Hatch
ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Justice Scalia was a giant of the law and a true patriot. He devoted nearly four decades of his life to public service. As a scholar and a jurist, he led a much-needed revolution in the law, based on the enduring principle that the role of a judge is to say what the law is, not what the law should be. His opinions, filled with unmatched wit, will continue to shape our nation for decades to come. Above all, he was a dear friend, and I will miss him greatly. Maureen and the entire Scalia family are in Elaine's and my thoughts and prayers.”
Jason Chaffetz
Tim Scott
Brad Wenstrup
Reince Priebus
ASSOCIATED PRESS
"Justice Scalia was a wise voice & strong proponent for the Constitution & American values," Priebus said on Twitter. "His decisions will continue to shape our country for years to come & his presence will be sorely missed. I send my condolences to his wife Maureen & his nine children as we keep his entire family in our thoughts and prayers."
Dennis Ross
Tom Cotton
Bill Clark via Getty Images
"The power of Justice Scalia's intellect, wit, and judicial method have reverberated throughout American law and conservative thought. His name will now join ‎Marshall, Holmes, and Jackson among the greatest Justices in history. He was a scholar, a patriot, a man of principle, and a man of God. His passing is a loss for the Court and a loss for the country. My deepest condolences to Maureen, his nine children, and his grandchildren."
Jackie Walorski
Paul Gosar
Steve Womack
Trent Franks
Richard Blumenthal
PAUL J. RICHARDS via Getty Images
“I am saddened by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. The son of an immigrant, dedicated public servant, acerbic wit, and gifted writer and orator, Justice Scalia lived a uniquely-American life. I respected his intellect and patriotism. My thoughtsare with his wife Maureen and their entire family. “My hope is that the President will promptly nominate someone with strong intellect and integrity who can win bipartisan support. I will work vigorously as a member of the Judiciary Committee to achieve confirmation.”
Doug Ducey
Tim Ryan
Gerry Connolly
Lucille Roybal-Allard
John Cornyn
ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Justice Scalia dedicated his life to upholding the Constitution. Brilliant, principled, and resolute in his beliefs, he embodied the virtues of a prudent jurist. The author of some of the most consequential and best-written Supreme Court opinions, Justice Scalia will be remembered as a giant of American jurisprudence.“Justice Scalia’s commitment to the law was unwavering, and his devotion to his faith and to his family was unquestionable. Sandy and I are saddened by today’s news, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
Rick Crawford
Diane Black
Pat Toomey
Steve Chabot
Jeff Merkley
Mike Fitzpatrick
Raul Labrador
Tom Marino
Richard Shelby
Pete Sessions
Billy Long
Michele Bachmann
John Shimkus
Bill Cassidy
Mario Diaz-Balart
Steve Scalise
Dean Heller
Charles Boustany
Louie Gohmert
Michael McCaul
Rob Wittman
Steve King
Chris Stewart
Mark Takano
Bob Gibbs
Tim Huelskamp
Gregg Harper
Mark Takano
Lynn Jenkins
Mark Kirk
David Vitter
Bill Schuster
Steve Israel
Mike Huckabee
Lynn Westmoreland
Steve Daines
Bob Latta
Jeff Fortenberry
Newt Gingrich
Deb Fischer
Tom Williams via Getty Images
“Our nation mourns the loss of a brilliant legal mind and selfless servant of the law. Justice Scalia lived a life dedicated to preserving and upholding the rights granted by our Constitution. Bruce and I join all Nebraskans in offering our condolences and prayers for the Scalia family.”
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