Lawmakers Mourn Death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Louisiana lawmakers, both statewide and federal, have released statements on the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Scalia died Saturday at age 79, reportedly of natural causes. According to the Associated Press, Judge Cinderela Guevara says investigators found no signs of foul play.

State Representative, and candidate for U.S. Congress, Mike Johnson told KEEL’s Robert J. Wright and Erin McCarty that Scalia was an inspiration to many.

“He dramatically influenced a generation of young lawyers like me, and he was a primary influence, really, that led me pursue constitutional law, because of who he was,” Johnson said. “You’ve heard a lot of the commentary over the last couple of days. Somebody said he was the most consequential jurist of at least the past four decades. I think that’s exactly right.”

U.S. Congressman John Fleming, and candidate for U.S. Senate, has released the following statement:

"Today our nation lost a man of integrity and an individual with one of the keenest conservative minds in our nation's history. Justice Scalia was a remarkable jurist and his opinions brought depth and scope seldom seen on the High Court. The pro-life community also lost one of the greatest champions and will be greatly missed. What made Scalia remarkable is that he remembered the true function of the Court. He knew that citizens should make the big decisions, not the courts. Scalia consistently and faithfully upheld the Constitution since he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.

As we look forward, I agree with Leader McConnell that the decision to replace Scalia needs to be made in 2017 by the next American President. Only then will it truly be the people's choice. Additionally, anything less than a genuine originalist would not be acceptable to me or the legacy of this outstanding jurist.

My prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends, now, as we grieve the loss of this American icon."

Col. Rob Maness, who’s also running for U.S. Senate, offers his thoughts and prayers to Scalia’s family and friends, and calls on Senate Republicans to hold the line against President Obama’s plan to ram a liberal justice down the throats of the American people:

"The loss of Justice Scalia is quite simply a tremendous loss for liberty. I want to offer my thoughts and payers to his family and friends during this time of grieving. During Justice Scalia's time on the bench, he distinguished himself as an unmatched intellectual giant and quite possibly the most influential legal scholar of the last generation. Justice Scalia's influence will be felt for many years to come and we can only hope that whoever replaces him on the Supreme Court will be as principled a constitutionalist as he proved himself to be.

I was happy to see Leader McConnell call on Republicans to not confirm a replacement for Justice Scalia until after the next President is sworn in. While "talking the talk" is a good start, Republicans in the Senate must now "walk the walk" and hold the line against the coming onslaught from Obama's allies in the liberal media, who will surely do everything in their power to force the GOP to submit to his assault on our nation's highest court.

Republicans must stand strong in the face of this onslaught and not buckle under any circumstances. To that end, I'm calling on Republican leadership to immediately reconvene the Senate from recess to prevent President Obama from engaging in any recess appointment shenanigans."

Congressman Charles Boustany of Lafayette said:

“Justice Antonin Scalia was a giant of the Supreme Court and a fierce defender of the Constitution. As the longest-serving Associate Justice on the Court, he cemented the Reagan legacy as a fearless and persuasive voice for conservative values in America. Bridget and I offer our sincere condolences and prayers for the entire Scalia family at this difficult time.”

We also received this statement from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton:

"America today lost one of the finest jurists our country has known in my lifetime, a powerful voice for liberty and a passionate defender of the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the Constitution. His passing is a deep loss for our nation. Angela and I will keep his wife, Maureen, his children and his grandchildren in our prayers."

Alliance Defending Freedom President, CEO and General Counsel Alan Sears also weighed in on the Supreme Court’s loss:

“The entire Alliance Defending Freedom team mourns the loss of a true friend of ordered liberty and of all Americans: Justice Antonin Scalia. Justice Scalia was the most vocal and passionate voice on the Supreme Court for religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family over the past three decades. While we grieve his passing, we must always remember that God is in charge.

We also note that it is unlikely that a new justice will be installed prior to the election of our next president. All of us are thankful for Justice Scalia’s legacy of consistently standing in defense of our constitutionally protected freedoms. Please join us in prayer for the Scalia family, the entire Supreme Court family, and our nation.”