Cruz: ‘We Risk a Constitutional Crisis’ if Ginsburg Successor Not Confirmed Before Election

On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) stated that President Donald Trump should nominate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s successor next week, and that the Senate should confirm a successor before the election. Cruz argued that Democrats plan to challenge the 2020 election, and having a 4-4 court would “risk a constitutional crisis” given that likelihood.

Cruz said, “I believe that the president should, next week, nominate a successor to the court. And I think it is critical that the Senate takes up and confirms that successor before Election Day. There’s going to be enormous pressure from the media. There’s going to be enormous pressure from Democrats to delay filling this vacancy. But this election — this nomination is why Donald Trump was elected. This confirmation is why the voters voted for a Republican majority in the Senate. And I’ll tell you one reason in particular, Sean, why I think it is tremendously important that not only does the nomination happen next week, but that the confirmation happen before Election Day: Because Democrats and Joe Biden have made clear, they intend to challenge this election, they intend to fight the legitimacy of the election. … And we cannot have Election Day come and go with a 4-4 court. A 4-4 court that is equally divided cannot decide anything, and I think we risk a constitutional crisis if we do not have a nine-justice Supreme Court, particularly when there is such a risk of a contested litigation — and a contested election.”

(h/t Jake Sherman)

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett