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Top Lawyers Urge Senate to Fill Supreme Court Vacancy

Major companies urge Senate GOP to hold hearings.

Lawyers at 44 major companies have urged the Senate begin hearings for Merrick Garland to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. In a letter sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, lawyers from companies including Nike and Viacom stressed the importance of filling the seat and said Garland was “exceptionally well-qualified” for the role. President Barack Obama had nominated Garland for the spot after Justice Antonin Scalia died in February, but Senate Republicans have put up resistance and said the next president should be responsible for the nomination. Garland has been the chief judge at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 1997. He’s considered a moderate liberal.