The legitimacy of our courts and the fundamental workings of our democracy depend on adherence to certain basic principles, including that rules be applied to all parties with consistency. We cannot have one set of rules for those who are in power, and another set of rules for those who are not.  Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey decided in 2016 to refuse to consider a Supreme Court nomination with an election “fewer than eight months away.”  We urge the Senators of our great state to adhere to the precedent that has been set and to stand up for the rule of law by not rushing to fill the vacancy recently created by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg until after the next president’s term has begun. This circumstance and the perception of illegitimacy it will inevitably create are without precedent.