Federal Government Policy and Business

Is the Supreme Court counting on getting a ninth justice in January?

The Washington Post: Sen. Jeff Flake’s call to confirm Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court if Hillary Clinton wins next month has reignited the public debate over the stalled nomination — and the court’s own calendar suggests that the eight current justices may be watching to see if that is a real possibility.

In an interview Thursday with Politico, Flake — an Arizona Republican who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee — said Republicans should move sooner rather than later if GOP nominee Donald Trump loses the presidential race.

“If Hillary Clinton is president-elect, then we should move forward with hearings in the lame duck,” Flake said. “That’s what I’m encouraging my colleagues to do.”

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