President Obama on Wednesday will nominate Merrick B. Garland as the nation’s 113th justice, according to White House officials, choosing a centrist appeals court judge widely respected even by Republicans in hopes his choice will be considered by the Senate.
In choosing Judge Garland, a well-known moderate who has drawn bipartisan support over decades, Mr. Obama was essentially daring Republicans to press their election-year confirmation fight over a judge many of them have publicly praised and who would be difficult for them to reject, particularly if a Democrat were to win the November presidential election and they faced the prospect of a more liberal nominee in 2017.
For more on Garland:
- Wikipedia: Merrick Garland.
- Scotusblog: Afternoon round-up: President nominates Garland to Supreme Court.
- Vox: Merrick Garland is President Obama's choice to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
