Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye is calling on the U-S Senate to quickly fill the open seat on the U-S Supreme Court. He says further delays to consider President Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, would harm American Indian tribes. Arizona Public Radio’s Ryan Heinsius reports.
The Supreme Court is considering cases that involve tribal sovereignty and the jurisdiction of tribal courts in its current term. Begaye says if the Supreme Court remains as it is with eight members, possible split decisions could undermine tribal law by creating uncertainty in those cases.
Begaye is also calling for any Supreme Court nominee to be well-versed in tribal law to ensure fair treatment of Native Americans before the court.
Many top Senate Republicans, however, say they won’t consider any Obama nominee to fill the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and that it should be the duty of the next president.
