Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
died on Saturday in Texas. He was 79.
According to various reports, Scalia
died of natural causes.
The associate justice was found dead by
a person associated with Cibolo Creek Ranch in West Texas after he
failed to appear for breakfast. Scalia attended a private party on
Friday at the luxury resort with about 40 people.
An unnamed federal official told the
San Antonio-Express News that there was no evidence of foul
play.
Conservatives immediately announced
that they would attempt to block President Barack Obama from
appointing Scalia's successor. Republican presidential candidates
Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and Ben Carson said that the “next
president” should name his replacement.
CNN reported that Obama will nominate
Scalia's replacement and that a likely candidate is federal Judge Sri
Srinivasan, 48.
Scalia, the longest-serving member of
the Supreme Court, is known for his strict interpretation of the U.S.
Constitution. Last year, he lashed out at the court's majority
decision striking down state bans on gay marriage. It was “the
furthest imaginable extension of the Supreme Court doing whatever it
wants,” he said.