Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL) - One of the first things President-Elect Donald Trump is expected to do after he takes the Oath of office on Friday, is nominate someone for a spot on the United States Supreme Court.
The death of Justice Antonin Scalia nearly one year ago, created a yet to be filled vacancy on the nine-member bench.
Judge Merrick Garland was nominated by President Barack Obama to replace Scalia, but the Republican-led Senate never held confirmation hearings on Garland, who has since gone back to being a Judge in Washington DC.
Speaking at several events in Tallahassee on Thursday, Supreme Court expert Jeffrey Rosen told people to expect a strong partisan divide on Trump's nominee, regardless of who it is.
"Since 1987, when Robert Bork was defeated for the Supreme Court, nominations have gotten progressively more partisan with every administration," said Jeffery Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center. "Democrats and Republicans have done it. The big question this time is whether Democrats will filibuster the nominee, and whether the republicans will blow up the filibuster for Supreme Court nominations."
During the most recent supreme court confirmation, that of Justice Elena Kagan in 2010, only five of 42 Republican Senators voted to confirm her, along with every Senate Democrat.
