UPDATING: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Dead In Texas

Senior Associate Justice Reportedly Died Of Natural Causes After Quail Hunting

Senior Associate Justice Antonin Scalia has died of natural causes at the age of 79, according to the San Antonio Express News and local El Paso, Texas station KVIA. 

Scalia, nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, was a guest at a Texas luxury resort, the Cibolo Creek Ranch.

“According to a report, Scalia arrived at the ranch on Friday and attended a private party with about 40 people. When he did not appear for breakfast, a person associated with the ranch went to his room and found a body,” the San Antonio Express News reports.

“A federal official who asked not to be named said there was no evidence of foul play and it appeared that Scalia died of natural causes.”

KVIA adds that Scalia “did not report feeling ill and retired to his room after dinner,” and “died in his sleep last night after a day of quail hunting.”

All updates will appear below and are in Eastern Standard Time (EST): 

UPDATE I 5:20 PM –

Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott issues a statement on Scalia’s passing, is the first to politicize his passing:

UPDATE II 5:30 PM –
Reports of conservatives demanding the Senate not confirm any Obama nominee to replace Justice Scalia are flooding in, including this from the co-founder of the far-right wing opinion site, The Federalist:

Also, this just in:

Chief Justice John Roberts has issued a statement:

UPDATE III: 5:48 PM –
ThinkProgress’ Judd Legum reports:

“Mere moments after his death was confirmed, Conn Carroll, a key staffer for Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), promised Republicans would block anyone that Obama nominated.”

Legum adds:

“The longest it has ever taken to confirm a Supreme Court nominee is 125 days. Obama has 361 days left in office.”

UPDATE IV: 5:50 PM EST –

Some responses from notables via Twitter:

Ted Cruz of course wants to make the nomination. Offensive.

Others weigh in:

UPDATE V: 6:42 PM –
Bernie Sanders:

UPDATE VI: 7:51 PM –

Top Republicans Are Demanding Senate Block Obama From Nominating Scalia’s Supreme Court Replacement

UPDATE VII: 9:16 PM –

Breaking: Obama Promises To Submit Nomination To Replace Scalia

 

This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.

 

Image: U.S. Army Photo by Tommy Gilligan via Flickr and a CC license