- Mark Kirk became the first Republican senator to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, complimenting President Barack Obama's pick Tuesday as "one of the most eminent jurists in the country" and criticizing GOP leaders' refusal to hold confirmation hearings or a vote on him. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/u/us_senate_supreme_court?site=ap&section=home&template=default&ctime=2016-03-29-14-46-11 11 comments politics