Judge Neil Gorsuch: ‘This is a home run pick by President Trump’ and other comments
The Tuesday evening nomination by President Donald Trump of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to replace the late Antonin Scalia drew differing comments from the left and the right. Here are some statements from some prominent Senators:
Ted Cruz
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“Judge Neil Gorsuch is an impressive jurist who takes seriously his obligation to interpret the law and to follow the Constitution. One of the things I was most encouraged about, when talking with him today, was his understanding that the job of a judge, as outlined in Article III of the Constitution, is simply to apply the law. And he contrasted that to the job of Congress, as outlined in Article I, which is to pass laws.
“We need judges who understand this distinction, who do not think that when you put on a robe, you suddenly get to enact whatever policies or laws you might personally favor. That’s the judicial humility that used to be characteristic of the Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch understands the critical, yet limited role of a judge which is to apply the law, not to decree whatever policies that particular judge might favor.”
Lindsey Graham
“This is a home run pick by President Trump.
“Judge Gorsuch is a well-qualified jurist with an impeccable resume. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to hearings on the nominee and expect he will be given an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. I look forward to his eventual confirmation to the Supreme Court.
“Finally, President Obama was elected by the American people and nominated Justices Sotomayor and Kagan to the Supreme Court. I voted for them – not because I agreed with them – but because both were qualified to serve on the Court. I urge my colleagues to extend Judge Gorsuch the same courtesy when considering his nomination. I ask no more of them than I asked of myself.”
James Lankford
“Many Americans went to the polls last November to not only vote for the President, but to make their voice heard on the direction of the highest court in the land. The American people have spoken on the future of the Supreme Court. We now have a nominee in Judge Gorsuch who has an impressive record of interpreting the law without trying to legislate from the bench. Judge Gorsuch was confirmed unanimously by the Senate to the 10th Circuit. Based on his past legal opinions, Judge Gorsuch understands that the Supreme Court must act within its constitutional role as a third and independent branch of the federal government. I am particularly impressed by Gorsuch’s legal opinions on federal regulations and the 1984 Chevron deference case, which wrongly tilted regulatory interpretation towards executive agencies and paved the way for the growth in consolidated power of the executive branch.
“The 2016 election was loud and contentious, but our path forward as a country has been settled. Americans chose President Trump and they also chose his nominees for his cabinet and the Supreme Court. It’s time to move beyond the obstruction, stall tactics, and delays so that the government of the people and by the people can operate for the people. Republicans and Democrats worked together to confirm most of President Obama’s cabinet nominees in the first week of his presidency–for Trump, only three cabinet members have been confirmed to date. The entire Senate should lead America towards civility and unity—we can start by giving this president the same courtesy that previous presidents have received on his cabinet and his Supreme Court nominee.”
Rand Paul
“I congratulate President Trump for nominating a conservative jurist with outstanding credentials and experience to the Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch is a worthy successor to Justice Scalia, a committed originalist, a strong defender of religious liberty and states’ rights, and a bulwark against the administrative state. I look forward to working with my colleagues for a speedy confirmation and to having another Justice who will defend the Constitution.”
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John McCain
“I am pleased by President Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch’s impressive legal background and judicial career demonstrate he has the right experience and judgment needed to serve on our nation’s highest court. Moreover, his record of upholding the Constitution and respecting the limited role of the judiciary makes him a fitting choice to fill the seat held by the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
“Throughout my time in the Senate, I have supported Supreme Court nominees of presidents from both political parties. Elections have consequences, and out of deference to the newly elected President’s selection and in the tradition of the U.S. Senate, I am looking forward to a fair and thorough nomination process and a vote on this highly qualified nominee.”
Bernie Sanders
“The Supreme Court plays an enormously important role in American life. Unfortunately, in recent years, that role has been largely negative. I look forward to questioning Judge Gorsuch about his positions on the most important issues that impact Vermonters and all Americans and his views on recent Supreme Court decisions.
“In recent years, the disastrous Citizens United ruling opened the floodgates on campaign cash and let corporations and millionaires buy elections. The court tore up the Voting Rights Act and cleared the way for Republican governors and state legislatures to suppress the vote and make it harder for poor people, people of color, young people and senior citizens to vote. This is the court that in a long string of cases was far friendlier to big business than to the needs of workers. This is a court that let Exxon off the hook for $5 billion in fines for a disastrous oil spill in Alaska and stymied efforts to combat global warming. This is a court that has chipped away at a woman’s right to control her own body.
“The stakes are very high in terms of the next Supreme Court justice. It is imperative that a new justice be prepared to defend the rights of all Americans, not just the wealthy and large corporations. Our next Supreme Court justice must vote to protect American democracy and keep campaigns free of the corrupting influence of big money, treat workers fairly, safeguard liberties for women and minorities, protect religious freedom and safeguard the privacy rights of citizens.
“I look forward to hearing Judge Gorsuch’s views on these and other critically important issues.”
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Elizabeth Warren
“Judge Gorsuch is intelligent and accomplished. He is polite, respectful, and articulate. But make no mistake: his professional record, which I have reviewed in detail, clearly and consistently favors the interests of big corporations over workers, big corporations over consumers, and big corporations over pretty much everybody else.
“Let’s not mince words – the nomination of Judge Gorsuch is a huge gift to the giant corporations and wealthy individuals who have stolen a Supreme Court seat in order to make sure the justice system works for them. What I am saying shouldn’t be controversial. They haven’t made a secret of what they were doing. This is exactly why Judge Gorsuch has been on their list for four months. He is the payoff for their multimillion-dollar investment.”
Patrick Leahy
“In light of the unconstitutional actions of our new President in just his first week, the Senate owes the American people a thorough and unsparing examination of this nomination. I had hoped that President Trump would work in a bipartisan way to pick a mainstream nominee like Merrick Garland and bring the country together. Instead, he outsourced this process to far-right interest groups. This is no way to treat a co-equal branch of government, or to protect the independence of our Federal judiciary.
“Before Senate Republicans waged the unprecedented blockade of Chief Judge Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court last year, the Senate took seriously its constitutional duty to provide advice and consent on nominees to the highest court in the land. But Republicans abdicated the Senate’s constitutional role by choosing politically-charged obstruction, so that a president who lost the popular vote could nominate extreme candidates to the Supreme Court.
“President Trump said he would appoint justices who would overturn 40 years of jurisprudence established in Roe v. Wade. Judge Gorsuch has shown a willingness to limit women’s access to health care that suggests the President is making good on that promise. At his confirmation hearing in 2006, Judge Gorsuch stated, ‘Precedent is to be respected and honored,’ and he said it is ‘unacceptable’ for a judge to try to impose “his own personal views, his politics, [or] his personal preferences.’ Yet last year he tried to do just that, calling for important precedent to be overturned because it does not align with his personal philosophy. From my initial review of his record, I question whether Judge Gorsuch meets the high standard set by Merrick Garland. And with the ideological litmus test that President Trump has applied in making this selection, the American people are justified to wonder whether Judge Gorsuch can truly be an independent justice. I intend to ask Judge Gorsuch about these and other important issues in the coming months.”
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