Justice Antonin Scalia died 269 days before the 2016 election. Before his replacement was nominated, Sen. Dan Sullivan said it was essential to wait until after Inauguration Day — more than 11 months after Scalia’s death — before even considering a Supreme Court nomination, and this opposition was “born of a necessity to protect the will of the American people.”
Donald Trump has nominated a replacement for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fewer than 40 days before the election, with voting already underway in many states. Sadly, but predictably, Sen. Sullivan will fall in line, do what he is told, and vote to confirm a new Supreme Court Justice before the election. Was Sen. Sullivan lying in 2016, or is he lying now? Does it matter? Sen. Sullivan is a monument to hypocrisy. After this, why would anyone believe anything he says?
Now there is an even more vital issue at stake. Donald Trump has made it clear he will make every attempt, regardless of how unlawful, immoral, un-American or dangerous it may be, to subvert the most important, unique, and sacred part of this experiment in democracy called the United States of America — the peaceful transfer of power. And by his deafening silence I can only assume Sen. Sullivan will fall in line, do what he is told, and be the hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no-evil Trump hack he’s been for 4 years. How could someone patriotic and courageous enough to spend multiple tours in combat zones as a U.S. Marine be afraid of being called childish Twitter names by a bully? The cult of Trump is insidious. It destroys everything it touches, including integrity and reputation of everyone that gets sucked in.
Alaskans, Americans and, frankly, Republicans deserve better.
— George Ferree
Fairbanks
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