Justice Ginsburg loved the Court and fully embraced its constitutional role. As an institutionalist, she understood how the balance of the Court will be substantially changed by replacing one its most liberal jurists with a very conservative one. [Hence, there is no reason to disbelieve RBG’s granddaughter.]
No doubt that was the calculus in 2016 when Scalia passed and the GOP majority took the position of “let the voters decide in November” even though November was 9 months away when Merrick Garland was nominated by a duly elected President Obama.
Now, here we are, but only 37 days until an election. Suddenly, the GOP majority does not want the voters to decide in November, particularly when they can rush in a conservative to take Ginsburg’s seat. Their rationale in 2016 suddenly went “Poof!”
As to Baron’s disingenuous pitch that the voters decided in 2018 to let Mitch do as he pleases, the Democrats won 22 of the 35 Senate seats up for election in 2018, which does not include the two Independent seats (Maine and Vermont). Democrat Senate candidates received 17 million more votes than Republican Senate candidates in 2018.
Yet, the Republicans retained the majority. Until Democrats stop losing elections, feel free to carry on with your game of Grand Theft Auto.
Just don’t pretend your side is principled or is acting per a mandate from the electorate.