Obama To Nominate Successor To Justice Scalia

A titanic political battle erupts as it emerges the judge's official cause of death will be listed as a heart attack 

President Barack Obama's plan to pick a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has provoked a firestorm of Republican resistance.

The staunch conservative jurist was found dead on Saturday morning in Texas after not showing up for breakfast during a hunting trip.

The 79-year-old's body has been taken to a funeral home in El Paso, Texas, where officials are waiting to hear whether a post-mortem examination will be performed.

Justice Scalia's death certificate will list a heart attack as the official cause of death, WFAA reports.

His death leaves the nation's highest court evenly split with four conservatives and four liberals, all lifetime appointments.

The top judge's successor could tilt the balance of the bench and help decide some of the most divisive issues facing Americans.

The nine-justice court is set to decide its first major abortion case in nearly 10 years, as well as legal challenges on voting rights, affirmative action, immigration and unions.

Flowers are seen in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. after the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Flowers lad outside the Supreme Court

On Saturday night, Mr Obama issued a proclamation for flags to be flown at half-mast "as a mark of respect" for Justice Scalia.

The US President also said he would appoint a replacement "in due time".

But the Republican-controlled Senate, which must approve any nominee, said there would be no such vote until Mr Obama leaves office in January.

Justice Scalia was appointed by President Ronald Reagan

With 54 seats in the Senate, the Republicans have the power to delay a prospective nomination by Mr Obama, or block it altogether if they vote unanimously.

But Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid said failure by the Senate to act would be a "shameful abdication" of the chamber's constitutional responsibilities.

The vacancy has also become an issue in the 2016 presidential race.

He said a liberal justice could mean the second amendment right to bear arms being "written out" of the US constitution.

Mr Cruz's fellow Republican White House rival, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, told CBS's Face the Nation: "The president can decide whatever he wants.

"But I'm just telling you the Senate is not moving forward on it until we have a new president, and I agree with that."

Justice Scalia was appointed to the top US court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.

He was known for his strident conservative views and coruscating courtroom jousts.

The father-of-nine, a devout Catholic, was an ardent death penalty supporter and voted consistently to let states outlaw abortions.