Subject: Local Media Roundup: 9-9-9 Tour Leaves Trail of Bad Publicity for GOP Judicial Obstructionists
From: Jeremy Funk <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 9 May 2016 14:10:46 -0400

9 States in 9 Days in Support of 9 Supreme Court Justices:
9-9-9 Mobile Billboard Tour Comes to Close, Leaves Trail of Bad Publicity for Republican Judicial Obstructionists

In-Cycle Senate Republicans Paying Hefty Political Price for Refusing to Do Their Jobs and Trampling the Constitution
*NEW NATIONAL PPP SURVEY FINDS AMERICANS DON'T WANT TRUMP MAKING APPOINTMENT<http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/page/-/PPP%20MEMO%20Voters%20Just%20Say%20No%20to%20GOP%20Frontrunners%20Making%20SCOTUS%20Appointment%203-10-2016.pdf>

*9-9-9 Announcement Release<http://aufc.3cdn.net/28766c735020060edc_nqm6ib0rw.pdf>

SAMPLING OF LCOAL MEDIA COVERAGE:
ARIZONA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx-ZmHLLXjI&feature=youtu.be
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx-ZmHLLXjI&feature=youtu.be>

ILLINOIS
http://newschannel20.com/news/local/rep-lang-calls-on-sen-kirk-to-act-05-03-2016
Rep. Lang Calls On Sen. Kirk To Act
BY WICS NEWS TEAM TUESDAY, MAY 3RD 2016
<http://newschannel20.com/news/local/rep-lang-calls-on-sen-kirk-to-act-05-03-2016>
WASHINGTON, DC (WICS) - State Representative Lou Lang is sending a message to Illinois Senator Mark Kirk.
In a press conference Monday, Lang says Kirk is not doing his job when it comes to confirming President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland.
Lang has acknowledged Kirk has called for a hearing and a vote on Garland's nomination, but says Kirk has done nothing about the matter since.
Lang also says Kirk's willingness to support Donald Trump if he is the republican presidential nominee shows Kirk is not really doing his job in the Senate.
"Donald Trump says he is opposed to justice Garland and Senator Kirk has said 'I support Trump if he is the nominee of my party,' and so when you link all of these things together you get a situation where Senator Kirk says one thing but he's really doing another," said Rep. Lou Lang, (D-Skokie) Deputy Majority Leader.
Kirk's campaign sent us a statement in response saying in part, "It has been universally recognized that Senator Kirk demonstrated thoughtful independence by breaking from his party."
Lang is also calling for hearings and a vote on Judge Merrick Garland's nomination.
IOWA
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowans-President-Obama-call-for-Sen-Grassley-to-hold-Supreme-Court-hearing-378036481.html
Iowans, President Obama call for Sen. Grassley to hold Supreme Court hearing
By KCRG-TV9 Staff |
Posted: Tue 6:49 PM, May 03, 2016

<http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowans-President-Obama-call-for-Sen-Grassley-to-hold-Supreme-Court-hearing-378036481.html>

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) -- Some of Iowa's officials are coming forward to tell Senator Charles Grassley to do his job and fill the Supreme Court seat.
Grassley has refused to hold a hearing with President Obama's nominee Merrick Garland, because he and many other republicans want the next president to pick the nominee.
The Americans United for Change are putting on a nine day, nine state mobile billboard tour trying to get Grassley to take action. Linn County Supervisor Brent Oleson and Iowa Senator Rob Hogg were among the Iowa officials calling for a hearing during a stop in Cedar Rapids.
"The United States Senate has the capacity to act on nominations, we need the U.S. Senate to act on nominations. We need nine justices, that's what the law provides and it's time for Sen. Grassley to act on this nomination," Iowa Senator Rob Hogg said.
President Obama said during an interview Tuesday that he is tired of waiting for Iowa's Senators to step up and hold a hearing for Garland.
"He's the chief judge of the second most important court in the land, and so the notion that Senator Grassley or Senator Ernst wouldn't even meet with him or if they meet with him aren't going to give him a hearing just doesn't make sense," President Obama said.
The president sat down with television stations across the U.S. Tuesday, including KCCI in Des Moines, to try to put pressure on Senate republicans.
Sioux City, IA on May 1 outside Grassley's office
Cedar Rapids, IA on May 3

MISSOURI
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article75420442.html
Democratic group pounds on Roy Blunt to fill vacant court seat
BY STEVE KRASKE
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
MAY 3, 2016 5:35 PM

A new poll <http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/senate-grassley-poll-222696> appears to show that Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley's role in blocking Merrick Garland's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court is hurting him.

Grassley, who faces re-election this fall, is still expected to win.
Tuesday's protest Courtesy of Americans United for Change

But Democrats, and Democratic-leaning groups, sense they have a winning issue on the court nomination.

That brings us to Tuesday morning's protest in downtown Kansas City where the Democratic group Americans United for Change staged a rally in front of Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt's offices. The group is pushing a simple message outlined in a media statement:

"Do Your Job and Fill the Vacant Seat on the Supreme Court, or Someone Else Will Fill Yours."

The group, scheduled to stage a similar rally outside the state Capitol Wednesday, has dubbed its statewide spin the "9-9-9 Tour," meaning it's traveling to nine states in nine days in a bid for nine Supreme Court justices.

Blunt has declined to meet with Garland, unlike some of his GOP colleagues. He has said the Senate should not confirm any nominee before President Barack Obama's term ends in January.

A Republican, Blunt is expected to face Democrat Jason Kander in November.

In Kansas City, Kansas City Councilman Jermaine Reed joined the protestors.

http://www.newstribune.com/news/2016/may/05/senator-blunt-targeted-sign-discontent/
Senator targeted with sign of discontent
Blunt criticized over Senate's failure to consider Obama's Supreme Court nomination
<http://www.newstribune.com/photos/2016/may/05/56921/>

Mark Boessen passes a rolling electronic billboard as he carries a ladder to the Missouri Supreme Court Building on Wednesday. Americans United for Change is using the billboard to pressure Sen. Roy Blunt and other Republican senators to hold a hearing on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Photo by Julie Smith<http://www.newstribune.com/staff/julie-smith/>.
By News Tribune<http://www.newstribune.com/staff/news-tribune/>

Thursday, May 5, 2016

For a while Wednesday morning in Jefferson City, a video billboard parked on High Street between the Capitol and state Supreme Court Building urged Missourians to tell U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt to do his job and let President Barack Obama's U.S. Supreme Court nominee come to a Senate vote.

Justice Antonin Scalia died in February, leaving a vacancy on the nine-member high court.

Blunt, a Republican who is running for re-election, has said for weeks he thinks the American people should have a "say" through the Nov. 8 general election in who the next Supreme Court justice should be.

Obama has nominated Merrick Garland of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to succeed Scalia.

"I think, when you're talking about a lifetime appointment to the court, people deserve to be heard - and they will be heard through the election," Blunt said shortly after the March appointment.

"If you adopt that principle - which I think is the right principle - it doesn't matter who the president nominates, nor does it matter who's elected president in November. That's the person who gets to make a nomination."

Neither Blunt's Senate or campaign offices responded Wednesday to a request for a comment about the video billboard, which was in Kansas City and Springfield earlier this week. It headed to St. Louis after the Wednesday morning Jefferson City stop.

The moving billboard is sponsored by the group "Americans United For Change." In group news release said it is on a nine-state, nine-day mobile billboard tour to underscore the need for nine justices on the high court.

The group's message to Blunt and GOP senators in the other eight states: "Do Your Job and Fill the Vacant Seat on the Supreme Court, or Someone Else Will Fill Yours."

Blunt and others have discounted arguments Obama's nominee is entitled to be heard by the Senate, because Obama won the office by the largest popular majority vote (in 2008) and second largest majority vote (in 2012) in the nation's history.

"April 27th marked 42 days since the President nominated Judge Garland to fill the seat left behind by the death of Justice Scalia; 42 days is the average time Supreme Court nominees have been welcomed inside the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room to answers questions about their record," the Americans United For Change contends.

"If history (were) followed, Garland would have faced the committee this last week."

Instead, the group argued, Blunt and other GOP senators are following the lead of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley in an the "unprecedented, rankly partisan choice" to refuse a hearing for Garland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIMXioCFBss
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIMXioCFBss>
St. Louis, MO on May 4 outside Sen. Blunt's office

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NH1<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQwiOHIqGRY&feature=youtu.be>: Protestors Demand Ayotte Do Her Job on SCOTUS
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQwiOHIqGRY&feature=youtu.be>

NORTH CAROLINA

http://www.wxii12.com/news/richard-burr-target-of-protests/39403500
Richard Burr target of protests
7:13 PM EDT May 05, 2016
Senator Richard Burr was the target of protesters who want him to change his stance on electing a new Supreme Court Justice. Senator Burr wants to wait for the next President to pick the nominee. WXII's Bill O'Neil talked to the protesters to hear their views.
OHIO

Columbus, OH on May 6
http://www.dispatch.com/content/blogs/the-daily-briefing/2016/05/5-3-2016-ad-targets-portman.html
Ads urge Portman to allow Supreme Court vote

By: Jessica Wehrman

The Columbus Dispatch - May 03, 2016 08:56 AM

An outside group has goneon the air this morning with ads attacking Sen. Rob Portman for being unwilling to allow a vote on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee.

The Constitutional Responsibility Project - a group that's working to get the Senate to vote on the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland - is airing a 30-second ad in the Columbus and Cincinnati media markets over this week's Senate recess.

"The constitution says the President shall make nominations for the Supreme Court and the senate votes," the narrator intones. " No exception for election years. Why is Rob Portman refusing to do the job Ohio elected him to do?"

See the full ad here.<https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=UIjQ_SUNdb4>

Portman met with Garland last month, and while he said he had a positive impression of the judge, he said it would be best to hold off confirming a new Supreme Court nominee until after the net president assumes office.

The Constitutional Responsibility Project, which is allied with the left leaning Americans United for Change and other coalitions has also launched a mobile billboard campaign across nine states over nine days urging GOP senators to allow a vote on Garland. They're holding more than 50 events in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/weekly-notebook-from-our-washington-bureau/nrJxw/
Weekly notebook from our Washington bureau

By Jessica Wehrman<http://www.daytondailynews.com/staff/jessica-wehrman/>

Washington Bureau

The Constitutional Responsibility Project, which is allied with the left leaning Americans United for Change and other coalitions has also launched a mobile billboard campaign across nine states over nine days urging GOP senators to allow a vote on Garland. They're holding more than 50 events in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin.

PENNSYLVANIA
Allentown, PA on May 3
Harrisburg, PA on May 2

Philadelphia, PA on May 4
WISCONSIN

http://www.wkow.com/story/31913177/2016/05/06/democrats-ramp-up-pressure-on-sen-johnson-to-support-scotus-confirmation-vote

Democrats ramp up pressure on Sen. Johnson to support SCOTUS confirmation vote
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NqLB1ktiIo>
By Greg Neumann
Posted: May 06, 2016 6:23 PM EDTUpdated: May 06, 2016 6:24 PM EDT
MADISON (WKOW) -- The inevitable presidential nomination of Republican Donald Trump has Democrats pushing even harder for the confirmation of President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Judge Merrick Garland.

Democrats believe that because Trump is a long-shot to win in the November general election Republican senators may now feel some pressure to hold a vote on Judge Garland, because he's a more moderate nominee than what a President Hillary Clinton (D) might put forward.

A Democratic-funded movement called #WeNeedNine launched it's 9-9-9 tour Friday.

Wisconsin is one of nine states will feature mobile billboards telling Republican senators like Ron Johnson to do their jobs and hold a confirmation vote on a ninth U.S. Supreme Court justice this year.

Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI-2) is among those trying to amp up the pressure on Senator Johnson.

"In states like Wisconsin, Illinois and other places the public expects us to do our jobs. And that's why we have such a low approval rating. And if people in those states don't do their jobs I think there could be retribution from the public when it comes to voting in November," said Rep. Pocan.

Sen. Johnson doesn't appear to be impacted by the pressure, instead expressing direct criticism towards Judge Garland while speaking to reporters in Milwaukee.

He described Garland as someone who would be a "super-legislator who is very open to regulatory overreach" and a judge who is "hostile toward the second amendment and the right to keep and bear arms."

http://wbay.com/2016/05/08/democrats-call-on-sen-johnson-to-support-filling-u-s-supreme-court-vacancy/
Democrats call on Sen. Johnson to support filling U.S. Supreme Court vacancy
By Newsroom Staff<http://wbay.com/author/newsroom-staff/>
Published: May 8, 2016, 3:15 pm
<http://wbay.com/2016/05/08/democrats-call-on-sen-johnson-to-support-filling-u-s-supreme-court-vacancy/>
A couple of Green Bay lawmakers are touring the state, trying to get Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson to support President Obama's pick for the U.S. Supreme Court.
State Senator Dave Hansen and State Representative Eric Genrich, both Democrats of Green Bay, were in Green Bay on Saturday.
They brought a 27-foot long mobile billboard to help spread their message.
In March, President Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to the nation's highest court, but Republicans in the Senate have been against the move saying the next president should choose the next justice.
"Judge Garland is eminently qualified. In fact, he is among the most experienced nominees to the Supreme Court in the history of our great country," said Senator Hansen.
Senator Johnson calls Garland a "super legislator" who would flip the majority of the Supreme Court.
"President Obama is playing politics with this. We get that. It is a political situation, so what we're saying is let the American people have a voice. We're six months before an election. They're gonna decide the direction of the country. Let them decide the direction of the court to their votes," said Senator Johnson.
A couple of weeks ago, Judge Garland met with key lawmakers, but some Republicans are still refusing to meet with him.
http://www.wpr.org/democrats-take-turns-tying-johnson-trump

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin speaks in front of a billboard urging Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson to confirm the nomination of Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Chuck Quirmbach / WPR

Democrats Take Turns Tying Johnson To Trump
Wisconsin's Top Dems Use Likely GOP Nominee As Political Ammunition Against Incumbent Senator
Friday, May 6, 2016, 5:30pm
By Shawn Johnson
Listen<http://www.wpr.org/listen/923386>Download<http://mp3.wpr.org/download.php?f=nws160506-SJ-FEINTRUMP.mp3>

Wisconsin's top Democrats took turns tying Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson to Donald Trump on Friday, calling on Johnson to withhold his support for the apparent GOP presidential nominee.

They also pushed Johnson to approve President Barack Obama's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying blocking that vote was a sign that Johnson would rather have Trump fill the high court's vacancy.

Their comments came a day after Republican U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville said he was not prepared to endorse Trump<http://www.wpr.org/paul-ryan-wont-support-trump-president-point>, a move Johnson's Democratic challenger, former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, said showed common sense.  Feingold told reporters at a Madison coffee shop that Johnson's decision to align himself with Trump was desperate.

"I believe the only thing right to do here is to not support him," Feingold said. "There are many Republicans who are saying they won't support Donald Trump."

Johnson, speaking to reporters ahead of a school choice event in Milwaukee, said he would support Trump.

"I think it's really quite good that people from a different perspective, from the business sector, the private sector (seek office)" Johnson said. "We know how to solve problems."

Johnsons said he wanted to give Trump "a little space" to get briefed on the issues facing the next president, calling the government "a massive beast."

Elsewhere, Democrats held press conferences in front of a traveling billboard urging Johnson to confirm the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said the decision by Senate Republicans to block a vote on Garland's nomination was disrespectful to the American people.  She said it showed they'd rather have Trump pick the next justice.

"For Senate Republicans to trust Donald Trump with a nomination to America's highest court is dangerous," Baldwin said.

Johnson said he was doing his job by blocking a vote on Garland.

"It's not necessary," Johnson said.  "We know what (Garland's) background is. He would obviously flip the court from what was a 5-4 more conservative majority to a 5-4 'superlegislator' majority."

Earlier this week, a column<http://www.redstate.com/leon_h_wolf/2016/05/04/republicans-confirm-merrick-garland-asap./> on the conservative website "RedState" urged Republicans to accept Garland's nomination, saying Trump was bound to lose in November and Hillary Clinton would nominate someone younger and more liberal. Johnson dismissed that idea as hypothetical.

Wisconsin Public Radio, (c) Copyright 2016, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.

http://fox6now.com/2016/05/06/democrats-hope-to-turn-up-the-pressure-as-republican-leaders-are-refusing-to-vote-for-a-new-scotus/
Democrats hope to turn up the pressure as Republican leaders are refusing to vote for a new SCOTUS
POSTED 10:22 PM, MAY 6, 2016
BY A.J. BAYATPOUR<http://fox6now.com/author/ajbayatpour/>
<http://fox6now.com/2016/05/06/democrats-hope-to-turn-up-the-pressure-as-republican-leaders-are-refusing-to-vote-for-a-new-scotus/>
MILWAUKEE -- It's been nearly three months since the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Senate Republicans, including Ron Johnson, say there should not be a vote on a nominee until after the November election. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin attended a Milwaukee rally on Friday, May 6th calling on Republicans to hold confirmation meetings.

"The idea that we would keep a vacant seat on the United States Supreme Court for a year is outrageous," said Baldwin.

Ron Johnson says it's clear to him, Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland would shift the balance of power on the Supreme Court in favor of liberal philosophy.

"He's certainly very open to the regulatory overreach of these agencies; he's got a record of that on the D.C. circuit. He also has a record of being hostile, from my viewpoint, of our second amendment right to bear arms," said Johnson.

Johnson says deciding who gets to select the next Supreme Court Justice should be part of the choice voters face in November. His opponent, former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, says voters made that choice in 2012 with the reelection of President Barack Obama.

"What we have here is game-playing. Senator Johnson has specifically said he wants the people to decide, which is a joke, people already have decided," said Feingold.

"Why not have that conversation you're talking about in a set of hearings where you can have these arguments presented in front of the people, on the record? It's not necessary. We know what his background is. He would obviously flip the court from what was a 5-4 conservative majority to a 5-4 super-legislator majority -- so we know his record," said Johnson.

"I think just the opposive of what he's saying -- that if we have hearing the groundswell will be incredible," said Baldwin.

Baldwin hopes to pressure Johnson by using a billboard across the state. Johnson says he's committed to hitting the brakes on any effort to confirm Garland.

It's been 51 days since President Obama nominated Merrick Garland.

The longest a Supreme Court nominee has had to wait for a vote in the Senate? 125 days for Louis Brandeis, 100 years ago -- back in 1916.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/baldwin-johnson-remain-at-odds-on-supreme-court-nominee-b99720585z1-378430491.html
Ron Johnson to meet with Merrick Garland early next week
May 06, 2016

By Bill Glauber<http://www.jsonline.com/about-us/28305019.html> of the Journal Sentinel

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is expected to meet early next week with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, according to those familiar with the process.

But the Republican from Oshkosh said Friday that the American people should be in charge of the nomination through their votes in November - effectively leaving it to a new president to name a new justice.

Johnson has joined most other Senate Republicans in setting up a blockade to prevent President Barack Obama from filling the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Still, Johnson has previously expressed a willingness to meet with Garland<http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/ron-johnson-says-hes-willing-to-meet-with-high-court-nominee-b99689794z1-372440511.html>.

"What I do know about Judge Garland is that he would be a super legislator," Johnson said during a campaign appearance in Milwaukee.

Johnson said Garland, chief judge of the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has shown "he is very open to the regulatory overreach" of government agencies.

"He also has a record of being hostile, in my viewpoint, to the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms," Johnson said.

"I was certainly elected to confirm judges, I mean people like Scalia," Johnson added. "So it's perfectly appropriate for the other coequal branch, the Senate, to give our advice, 'Don't even bother with the nominee.'"

Johnson and his Democratic counterpart, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, remain on opposite sides of the court battle. Baldwin came to Milwaukee Friday to step up pressure on Johnson.

Speaking at Milwaukee's waterfront in front of mobile billboard that challenged Johnson to "Fill the Vacant Seat on the Supreme Court," Baldwin sought to tie the stalled nomination with presidential politics and the emergence of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.

"Senate Republicans have failed to do their jobs," Baldwin said. "And now they have literally put their faith in Donald Trump. Senate Republicans have put partisan politics ahead of their own constitutional duties. And now they have literally pledged their allegiance to Donald Trump. For Senate Republicans to trust Donald Trump with the nomination to America's highest court is dangerous."

Johnson reaffirmed that he'll support Trump as the GOP nominee. Johnson said he has been hearing that "there is a real desire on the part of our presumptive nominee to reach out to members of Congress."

"I want to give our nominee a little space," Johnson said, indicating that it takes quite a while for someone in the private sector to get up to speed on the key issues.

"Let's give our presumptive nominee the opportunity to get the briefings," Johnson said.

Johnson said voters in Wisconsin are sick of career politicians and failed government.

"I think it's really quite good that people from a different perspective, from the business sector, the private sector, we know how to solve problems," Johnson said.

Johnson is in a tough re-election fight with Democrat Russ Feingold. On Friday, Feingold met with senior citizens at a Milwaukee coffee shop, where he received the endorsement of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare<http://www.ncpssm.org/>.

Feingold said Trump "wasn't ready to be president" and that it was "irresponsible for people to support Donald Trump whether he's the Republican nominee or not."

______________________________________________________
Jeremy J. Funk
Communications Director, Americans United for Change
Office: 202.470.5878
Cell: 605.366.3654
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
www.AmericansUnitedforChange.org<http://www.AmericansUnitedforChange.org>
Twitter: @jeremyjfunk<https://twitter.com/JeremyJFunk>