Chuck Grassley ignores White House invitation to discuss SCOTUS nomination

Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley is not responding to an invitation from the White House to discuss a Supreme Court nomination with President Obama. 

"Early this week, we extended an invitation to Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Leahy to join President Obama in the Oval Office for a consultative meeting of filling the Supreme Court vacancy," a senior White House official said. "We have not heard back from Chairman Grassley."

Grassley's Judiciary Committee spokeswoman said the senator has received the invitation and that it's "under consideration." She added that Grassley has had a "personal conversation" with Leahy and White House Counsel W. Neil Eggleston and spoke with Obama by phone last week.

Ignoring the invitation is, to put it mildly, a break in protocol. To put it more bluntly, it's the logical outgrowth of Republicans' refusal to recognize the legitimacy of this president. In another completely justified break with protocol, Democrat Harry Reid blasted Grassley.