Prof. Painter NYT Op-Ed Says Bush Could Have Nominated Garland

Professor Richard Painter, former chief ethics lawyer in the White House Counsel Office during the George W. Bush administration, published an Op-Ed in the New York Times about the Garland nomination. "Senators can vote against a Supreme Court nominee after holding a hearing, but refusing to vote on a nominee at all is unthinkable," Painter said. Painter, who assisted Bush in the nomination and confirmation of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. to the Supreme Court, said that Bush would have nominated Judge Merrick Garland, or someone like Judge Garland, to the Supreme Court because he's someone that both Democrats and Republicans could agree on. "If the Senate does not move forward with the Garland nomination now, a lot of senators could find themselves voting on a Supreme Court nominee in December while packing up their offices. And by January, the chance to put a justice on the court who is acceptable to conservatives could be gone," Painter said.