Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is recommending that any Supreme Court justice considering retirement make their plans known as soon as possible.
Grassley was speaking to radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday and said that if a justice were to step down, the Senate needs to confirm a successor before the November elections.
“I just hope that if there is going to be a nominee, I hope it’s now or within two or three weeks, because we’ve got to get this done before the election, and there’s generally about 50, 60, 70 days between the time a president nominates somebody and we get a hearing in committee, and then another two weeks before it gets to the floor,” Grassley, R-Iowa, said.
“And this has to be done before the November election,” he continued. “So my message to any of the nine Supreme Court justices, if you’re thinking about quitting this year, do it yesterday.”