WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Looking to draw attention to Senate Republicans' continued refusal to consider filling the current Supreme Court vacancy, Democrats are challenging the GOP to field only eight players for the annual Congressional Baseball Game on Thursday.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., argued that Republicans should have no problem competing without a full squad of players since they believe the Supreme Court can consider important issues without a full roster of justices.
'Just as a baseball team is unable to function properly with only eight players, the Supreme Court cannot properly serve the American people with eight justices,' Reid said.
'Republicans should end their obstruction, do their job and take up Judge Merrick Garland's nomination without further delay,' he added. 'For the Supreme Court and for baseball, eight is simply not enough.'
The challenge from Democrats came even before the Supreme Court deadlocked 4 to 4 in a ruling on President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration.
The split decision left in place a lower court's injunction on Obama's plan to ease the deportation threat to millions of undocumented immigrants.
The Supreme Court has remained shorthanded since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February, as Republicans argue the vacancy should be filled by the next president.
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