Tammy Baldwin Meets With Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland

Sen. Tammy Baldwin met with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland on Thursday in Washington.

Garland, who was nominated to the Supreme Court about a month ago by President Barack Obama, has been making the rounds in Washington this week, meeting with senators on both sides of the aisle. Baldwin said they met for half an hour, and spoke about the importance of Supreme Court precedents and a “wide range” of other issues.

After the meeting, Baldwin continued to push for nomination hearings for the appeals court judge. “The American people need to have a full and functioning court,” she said. “Not an empty seat on the highest court in the land.”

The majority of Senate Republicans, including Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, are opposed to holding nomination hearings for Garland, saying the vacant Supreme Court seat should be filled after November’s presidential election.

Baldwin said Republicans are “afraid” to hold hearings.

“Why are they afraid of having a hearing?” she said. “Maybe because he’ll sell himself to the American people and there will be an outcry for the Senate to do its job.”

Johnson has said he is willing to meet with Garland, but remains opposed to hearings.