COURTS/GOP/JOE BIDEN/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Former Vice President Joe Biden said he would be open to renominating to the Supreme Court federal appeals court Judge Merrick Garland, whose Senate confirmation in 2016 was thwarted by the Republican Senate . In an interview with Iowa Starting Line on Friday [7-5-19], the Democratic presidential hopeful called Garland a ‘first-rate person.’ Obama first nominated Garland in 2016 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, announced the Senate would not consider an appointment until after the presidential election. Upon taking office, President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill the seat…Biden said he would not try to expand the court as president, but added that reforming campaign finance laws to allow for public financing could reduce partisan gridlock during judicial nominations.”
–Rishka Dugyala, “Biden open to renominating Merrick Garland,” Politico, July 5, 2019 2:38 pm