At the end of an email that discusses Justice Breyer’s retirement, Indiana State GOP chair Kyle Hupfer invited the recipient to “share it with a friend.” Hupfer derides President Biden as “likely nominate a candidate much more liberal than Justice Breyer.” 1/8

Mr Hupfer refers to Sen Mike Braun (R-IN) to say Pres Biden “should put forward a dedicated constitutionalist who respects the rule of law and our nation's system of checks and balances”; & quotes Sen Todd Young (R-IN) on the fairness of the confirmation process. 2/8

Sen. Todd Young “has called for a ‘thorough but fair vetting’ of the potential nominee, which he correctly notes” trump’s nominees “never received.” Young is correct, sort of. Justice Kavanaugh was not thoroughly vetted, despite the ABA’s request to pause confirmation. 3/8

The GOP confirmed Justice Coney Barrett at relative light speed to enable trump to name 1 more to the Court before the Nov 6 election. Mr Hupfer is wrong when he says then-Sen Biden turned confirmation into a "’blood sport driven by character assassination’back in 1987.” 4/8

SCOTUS nominations have been “blood sport” since our Republic’s early days. John Rutledge, a Framer of the Constitution and nominated by Pres Washington, was rejected as Chief Justice on rumors of mental illness & alcohol abuse (& he opposed the Jay Treaty). 5/8

Roger Taney’s nomination as Justice was voted down (as had his earlier nomination as Jackson’s Secretary of the Treasury), but a later nomination was approved. Taney’s tenure as CJ is seen by many as the Court’s nadir (so far) and his Dred Scott decision a spark for the Civil War. 6/8

Thurgood Marshall was the 1st African American Court nominee. Sen Strom Thurmond (R-SC) & Sen James Eastland (D-MS) were segregationists & tried to rattle Marshall. Eastland asked Marshall if he was “prejudiced against white people in the South.” 7/8

Mr Hupfer’s use of “blood sport,” a phrase from a fox commentator, is counter to history, as the GOP’s retro positions are counter to contemporary beliefs. That’s why the GOP loses the popular vote. The GOP needs to return to its progressive roots and abandon its recent embrace of racism. 8/8