WASHINGTON (AP) -The White House says President Barack Obama will nominate a successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia “in due time,” once the Senate returns from a week-long recess.
At that point, spokesman Eric Schultz says the White House expects the Senate to consider the nominee in keeping with its constitutional responsibilities.
Leading Republican lawmakers and presidential candidates have insisted that Obama leave the job of naming Scalia’s successor to the next president.
Obama said he intends to fulfill his constitutional duty to nominate another justice to fill the open seat on the nation’s highest court.
The president took about a month to nominate Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor to fill earlier vacancies on the court.
The Senate is taking the week off for the Presidents Day holiday.
