CHICKASAW
COUNTY, IOWA–
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
issued the following statement regarding the announced retirement of Supreme
Court Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer.
“I
congratulate Justice Breyer on his long, distinguished service to our country.
He is widely respected for good reason, and I’ve personally held him in high
esteem throughout his service on the court.
“I
supported his confirmation to the Supreme Court in 1994 alongside a vast
majority of my colleagues. Justice Breyer’s successor should be an individual within
the legal mainstream who can receive similar broad, bipartisan support. Such a
candidate will preserve faith in the court, and reflect Americans’ will when
they elected an evenly divided Senate.”
Grassley,
who is also president pro tempore emeritus of the U.S. Senate, has participated
in the confirmation of every sitting Supreme Court Justice and presided over
the confirmation of two justices as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
-30-