GOP senator meets with Garland, says hearings should be held

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator said Tuesday she is "more convinced than ever" that there should be hearings on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee after meeting with Judge Merrick Garland.

[...] Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made clear he is not budging, telling reporters, "I think it's safe to say there will not be hearings or votes."

Maine Sen. Susan Collins sat down with Garland on Capitol Hill for more than an hour.

Not long after Collins made her comments, McConnell said that Democrats' attempts to pressure Republicans on the issue during the Senate's just-completed spring recess had failed.

The situation when we broke for the recess two weeks ago was that there were 52 Republican senators who didn't think we needed either a hearing or a vote in committee.

[...] today two weeks later we have 52 Republicans who think we don't need either a hearing or a vote in committee, McConnell said.

Conservative activists immediately targeted Collins.

Democratic senators took turns Tuesday railing against the GOP stance, accusing Republicans of failing to complete their constitutional duties because of pressure from conservative groups and the billionaire donor Koch brothers.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid suggested Democrats might attempt procedural maneuvers to try to force a vote on the nominee, a strategy that would be unlikely to succeed.

Another member of the Senate Democratic leadership, Patty Murray of Washington, acknowledged the success of the conservative activists: Sadly so far it seems to be working.

Garland has several more meetings this week, all with Democrats.

Collins noted that the Iowa senator had at least extended that courtesy.