President Obama is currently vetting Judge Jane L. Kelly of the Eight Circuit Federal Court of Appeals to the seat vacated by Justice Anthony Scalia on the Supreme Court. “The F.B.I. has been conducting background interviews on Judge Kelly, 51, according to a person with knowledge of the process.” If appointed Judge Kelly would face an uncertain confirmation battle in the Senate because Republican leaders have already expressed their intention to not confirm any Supreme Court Justices until after a new President is elected and takes office. Senator Charles E. Grassley would be in a difficult situation as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee because he has praised Judge Kelly in 2013 before she was unanimously confirmed to her current position on the Eighth Circuit.
See Julie Hirschfeld Davis and David M. Herszenhorn, White House Is Said to Be Vetting Iowa Judge for Supreme Court Seat, The New York Times, March 2, 2016.
