* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: President Scott
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Let the People Have a Say
For the purpose of calling on the United States Senate to not a consider any Supreme Court nominations until after the American people have decided who the next President of the United States shall be on November 3.
body
Recitals
“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.” These were the words spoken by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on February 13, 2016, shortly after the passing of Justice Scalia. Senator McConnell then subsequently refused to have the Senate consider President Obama’s pick to fill that vacancy, citing the need for the American people to have a role in the process by picking the next president in the election to be held nearly 9 months later.
Now, four years later, the nation is in the midst of another presidential election. Moreover, on September 18, 2020, we lost a hero in Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, leaving a vacancy on the United States Supreme Court.
The Baltimore City Council is calling on Senator McConnell to heed his own words and allow the American people to have a role in filling Justice Ginsburg’s seat by not holding a vote on any Supreme Court nominees until after the presidential election on November 3. If Senator McConnell wants to create arbitrary rules that denied President Obama his rightful nominee a mere vote, Senator McConnell should heed them even when there is a Republican in the White House. Anything less would be pure hypocrisy.
Let the American people have their say on November 3.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Council calls on the United States Senate to not a consider any Supreme Court nominations until after the American people have decided who the next President of the United States shall be on November 3.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Honorable Senate Majority Leader, the Honorable Senate Minority Leader, the Maryland Delegation to the United States Senate, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.