Biden Says He Could Nominate Merrick Garland Again for SCOTUS If Elected: ‘First-Rate Person’

Joe Biden says he could re-nominate Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court if he is elected and a vacancy opens on the high court, saying Garland is “a first-rate person.”

Speaking with Iowa Starting Line, Biden said, “I think we should have been a whole heck of a lot harder on [Mitch McConnell],” Biden said when he was asked about Garland’s nomination by Barack Obama getting blocked by the GOP Senate majority leader.

“I’d say, what are you doing, you’re setting a horrible precedent here. And the answer was, I know Joe, but if I go, I’m in a red state, if I go ahead and just call for a hearing, the Koch Brothers will drop five, ten million dollars on my race. That’s nothing about political courage, it’s a reality,” Biden said about talking with Republicans about Garland, whose nomination was successfully blocked by McConnell.

In Garland’s place, President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch who now sits on the Supreme Court.

When asked if he would nominate Garland again, Biden responded, “Sure, I would … By the way, he’s a first-rate person.”

[Image via screengrab]

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