Fox’s Napolitano: Supreme Court confirmation hearings will be ‘World War III of political battles’

Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano said the Senate confirmation hearings for President Trump’s eventual Supreme Court pick will be a bloody political fight amid an already tight presidential race.

“This will be a World War III of political battles,” Napolitano told Fox News Radio host Jimmy Failla on Monday. “And it will be right in the middle of a presidential election.”

His comments came three days after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump told “Fox & Friends” on Monday that he will announce his Supreme Court pick on Friday or Saturday, with the president indicating he has a shortlist of five female contenders.

Napolitano said the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings will prove particularly combative given the presence of Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is facing a tightening reelection bid, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

“We are in for some exciting, depressing, however you want to look at it, times,” Napolitano said.

Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have already said the Senate should not take up a Supreme Court nomination before the election, narrowing the margin of error for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

“Mitch McConnell better count noses before he does anything. He’s already lost two Republicans,” Napolitano said.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate.

McConnell declined to respond to questions from reporters on Monday about whether he would push for a confirmation vote before Election Day, but he said on the Senate floor that the confirmation process for several previous nominees moved swiftly enough to allow for a vote in less than 43 days — the amount of time between now and Nov. 3.