Sen. Harry Reid slammed Republican senators on waiting to fill the Supreme Court seat following Justice Antonin Scalia’s death on Saturday. The White House has issued a statement that President Obama will nominate a replacement for Scalia.

Reid tweeted:  “Would be unprecedented in recent history for SCOTUS to go year with vacancy. And shameful abdication of our constitutional responsibility.”

“The President can and should send the Senate a nominee right away. The Senate has a responsibility to fill vacancies as soon as possible,” Reid tweeted.

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell said the next president will confirm the justice to take Scalia’s place. Ted Cruz and others are calling for a shutdown of the Supreme Court. This will backfire on the GOP.

Justice Scalia was found dead at a luxury ranch in West Texas on Saturday, MySanAntonio reports. He was 79.

Political news cross-posted from The Hinterland Gazette.