September 22, 2020
Washington, DC
Signatures updated: 9/24/20
Conservatives call on President Trump to swiftly nominate a conservative to fill the Ginsburg vacancy on the Supreme Court. We then urge the Senate to confirm this nominee prior to the November election.
Both historical precedent and the Senate’s constitutional prerogative compel quick action. Between 1796 and 1968, there have been nineteen vacancies on the Supreme Court where the president and the Senate were of the same party. Seventeen of those nominations were subsequently confirmed, nine of them prior to that year’s election.
Moreover, holding the confirmation vote prior to November ensures it is done in full view of the American people, with all the accountability that entails. A vote in the lame duck session takes place after the election is decided, with markedly different incentives for senators who have just been re-elected or will be leaving the Senate. In short, it ensures these senators can safely ignore the wishes of their voters.
There is also the issue of ensuring a fully staffed Supreme Court prior to any challenges to what is expected to be a contested electoral outcome. Joe Biden’s campaign has already announced an expanded staff of lawyers prepared to litigate whatever outcome presents itself in November, or in the weeks that follow. With Ginsburg absent, a 4-4 split on the Supreme Court would be possible. Such a deadlock would send the outcome to the circuit courts, and further throw the country into chaos. A fully staffed Supreme Court is vital to ensuring that the election disputes get a fair and final hearing.
Perhaps most importantly, however, this is what conservatives elected the Senate to do – to fully embrace the mandate of the majority they were given by their voters. The Constitution gives the Senate the authority to confirm a Supreme Court nominee at a time of their choosing. We ask them to fully embrace that prerogative prior to the election, rather than in the lame duck.
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was confirmed in 33 days. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed in 42 days. We urge the Senate to move swiftly toward a confirmation before November 3, acting as Joe Biden admonished in 2016: “I made it absolutely clear that I would go forward with the confirmation process as chairman even a few months before a presidential election.”
The Honorable Edwin Meese III Attorney General President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988) |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman, Conservative Action Project President, Republic Book Publishers |
Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq. Chairman, CNP Action, Inc. President and CEO, First Liberty Institute |
Jenny Beth Martin Chairman Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund |
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
Thomas Fitton President Judicial Watch, Inc. |
Penny Y. Nance President & CEO Concerned Women for America |
The Honorable Jim DeMint Chairman, Conservative Partnership Institute Member, US Senate (SC 2005-2013) |
Ed Corrigan Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project President, Conservative Partnership Institute |
Rachel Bovard Senior Director of Policy Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) |
The Honorable David McIntosh President Club for Growth |
The Honorable Tony Perkins President Family Research Council |
Scott T. Parkinson VP for Government Affairs Club for Growth |
The Honorable Morton C. Blackwell President The Leadership Institute |
L. Brent Bozell, III Founder and President Media Research Center |
Cleta Mitchell, Esq. Partner Foley & Lardner LLP |
Adam Brandon President FreedomWorks |
The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop White House Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1981-1985) |
The Honorable Donald Paul Hodel U.S. Secretary of Energy (1982-1985) U.S. Secretary of Interior (1985-1989) |
Myron Ebell Director, Center for Energy and Environment Competitive Enterprise Institute |
Noah Wall Vice President of Advocacy FreedomWorks |
David Bozell President ForAmerica |
Tom McClusky President March for Life Action |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988) |
Jessica Anderson Executive Director Heritage Action for America |
Mary Vought Executive Director Senate Conservatives Fund |
William L. Walton President Council for National Policy |
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
The Honorable Bob McEwen U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Ohio |
Michael Farris President & CEO Alliance Defending Freedom |
Charles J. Cooper Assistant Attorney General, President Ronald Reagan Cooper & Kirk, PLLC |
The Honorable Tom DeLay Former Majority Leader US House of Representatives |
Grover Norquist President Americans for Tax Reform |
Justin Danhof General Counsel National Center for Public Policy Research |
James C. Dobson, Ph.D. Founder & President Dr. James Dobson Family Institute |
The Honorable Scott Walker CEO Young America’s Foundation |
Kristen Waggoner General Counsel Alliance Defending Freedom |
The Honorable James C. Miller III Budget Director for President Reagan (1985-1988) |
Alan Sears Founder Alliance Defending Freedom |
Dr. Jerry A. Johnson President National Religious Broadcasters (2013-19) |
Kristan J. Hawkins President Students for Life Action |
The Honorable Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
Caroline Wetherington President Women 4 Trump Florida |
Trent England Executive Director Save Our States |
Floyd Brown Publisher The Western Journal |
Mat Staver Founder and Chairman Liberty Counsel |
William W. Pascoe, III Board Member Tea Party Patriots Action |
Eunie Smith President Emeritus Eagle Forum |
The Honorable Timothy Huelskamp, Ph.D. Former Congressman 1st Congressional District of Kansas |
Rod D. Martin Founder & CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Sherri R. Martin Executive Vice President The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Haley E. Martin President The Martin Foundation |
Shawn A. Mitchell Former National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Christina Murphy Lusk Campaign for the American Future |
Guillermo J. Aragon Senior Partner Corbere Partners |
Dr. John C. Eastman Salvatori Professor, Chapman University Fowler School of Law Senior Fellow, The Claremont Institute |
Khadine Ritter President Eagle Forum of Ohio |
Seton Motley President Less Government |
Charlie Gerow Vice Chairman American Conservative Union |
Lee Beaman CEO Beaman Automotive Group |
Phil Kerpen President American Commitment |
Rick Scarborough President Recover America Now |
Jeff Hunt Director Centennial Institute |
The Honorable Mike Hill Representative Florida State House |
J. Craig Brown II CEO Christian Healthcare Ministries |
Paavo Ensio Chairman Universal Minerals Group |
Michelle Easton President Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women |
Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
Amapola Hansberger President Legal Immigrants for America |
Dr. Frank Wright CEO D. James Kennedy Ministries |
Dr. Richard Rounsavelle Trustee Media Research Center |
The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr. Former staff member Office of the Vice President |
Dr. Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. Founder and CEO CorsiNation.com |
Tim Wildmon President American Family Association |
Dr. Mark A. Smith President Columbia International University |
Eaton Hopkins President Liberty Surgical |
Tom DeWeese President American Policy Center |
James L. Martin Founder/Chairman 60 Plus Association |
Saulius “Saul” Anuzis President 60 Plus Association |
Colleen Holcomb President Eagle Forum |
Chad Connelly President Faith Wins |
Rob Gluskin Managing Partner Gluskin Investment Partners |
Martha Boneta President Vote America First |
Richard Norman Founder and President The Richard Norman Company |
Jason Jones President Movie to Movement |
Elaine Donnelly President Center for Military Readiness |
Karen England Executive Director Capitol Resource Institute |
Kelly Monroe Kullberg Senior Advisor American Association of Evangelicals (AAE) |
Twila Brase, RN, PHN President and Co-founder Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom |
Jack Park Conservative Activist and Donor Law Offices of Jack Park |
Dr. Richard G. Lee President There’s Hope America |
E.W. Jackson, Sr. Founder & President STAND Foundation, Inc. |
C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
Ron Pearson Executive Director Conservative Victory Fund |
Richard Wright Owner R & S LLC |
Sheryl Kaufman Corporate Chief Economist, Retired Phillips Petroleum Company |
Rebecca Hagelin CEO United in Purpose |
Mario Navarro da Costa Director, Washington Bureau Tradition, Family, Property |
Preston Hawkins Chairman Association for Community Education dba Radio Nueva Vida |
Glenn P. Story Co-founder Patriot Mobile |
Robert D. Thompson Former Administrator The Weyrich Lunch (1999-2016) |
Jay Mount President MDS Communications Corporation |
John Scribante Principal Owner XPACE, LLC |
Dr. Paige Patterson President Sandy Creek Foundation |
William P. Mills, III Owner MPW Properties |
Matthew Tyrmand Principal Matthew Tyrmand LLC |
The Honorable Peter Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
Sal Russo Co-Founder and Chief Strategist Tea Party Express |
Rob Chambers Vice President AFA Action |
Penna Dexter Co-host Point of View Radio |
Robert Hilarides Owner Hilarides Dairy, Sierra Cattle, Hilarides Trans. Co. |
Andresen Blom President Hawaiian Values |
Willes K. Lee President National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Melissa Kaye Ortiz Administrator/Blogger for DC Belle on Wheels Founder/Principal, Able Americans |
Kevin Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
Amy Kremer Chairman Women for America First |
Raymond J. LaJeunesse, Jr. Vice President & Legal Director National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, Inc. |
Kylie Jane Kremer Executive Director Women for America First |
Sean Noble President American Encore |
Ralph A Rebandt, II Lead Pastor Oakland Hills Community Church |
Kay R. Daly President Coalition for a Fair Judiciary |
Somers H. White Former Arizona State Senator |
Ralph Benko Chairman The Capitalist League |
Lewis K. Uhler Founder and President National tax Limitation Committee |
Catherine Glenn Foster President & CEO Americans United for Life |
Kielle C. Horton President The Lindsey Foundation |
Susan A. Carleson Chairman/CEO The Carleson Center for Welfare Reform |
Heather R. Higgins CEO Independent Women’s Voice |
Tammy Bruce President Independent Women’s Voice |
Carrie Lukas President Independent Women’s Forum |
Jennifer Braceras Director Independent Women’s Law Center |
Tim Chapman Executive Director Stand for America |
Bob Carlstrom President AMAC Action |
Jeremy Cerone CEO EliteSafe Inc. |
All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only.