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U.S. senators from Rhode Island on Neil Gorsuch's nomination

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On January 31, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court. Scalia was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court for three decades.[1] President Trump said regarding the nomination,[2]

“

I am proud to announce the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for Justice of the Supreme Court ... This has been the most transparent and most important Supreme Court selection process in the history of our country and I wanted the American people to have a voice in this nomination. Judge Gorsuch has a superb intellect, an unparalleled legal education, and a commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to its text. He will make an incredible Justice as soon as the Senate confirms him. [3]

”

Confirmation hearings on Gorsuch's nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee were held from March 20-23, 2017. On April 3, 2017, voting 11-9 on party lines, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the full U.S. Senate. That same day, Senate Democrats announced that they had a sufficient number of votes to sustain a filibuster against the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. In anticipation of an expected filibuster, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated that he was prepared to restrict the use of filibusters on Supreme Court nominations, referred to as the nuclear option. The Senate voted on April 6, 2017, to end the use of filibusters on all presidential nominations and proceeded to vote to end debate on the Gorsuch nomination. Gorsuch was confirmed on a recorded 54-45 vote of the Senate on Friday, April 7, 2017, and he received his commission on Monday, April 10, 2017.[4]


HIGHLIGHTS
  • President Donald Trump (R) nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court on January 31, 2017.
  • On January 3, 2017, the first day of the 115th Congress, Republicans held a 52-48 majority in the U.S. Senate.
  • Confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee began on March 20, 2017.



    • U.S. senators from Rhode Island on Neil Gorsuch's nomination

    Jack Reed (D)

    Senator Reed was interviewed by Chris Hayes of MSNBC about the nomination.[5]

    Senator Reed issued the following statement on January 31, 2017:[6]

    “

    The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. It is a crucial check on the power of both the executive and legislative branches.

    Senate Republicans did a great disservice to the nation, and this nominee, when they took the unprecedented and extreme step of blocking President Obama’s moderate Supreme Court nominee for nearly a year. As a result, many Americans question this nomination.

    Judge Gorsuch’s record in the lower court suggests he could impose significant new constraints on civil liberties, women’s rights and workers’ rights, and roll back consumer protections and clean air laws. I am concerned that Judge Gorsuch has a tendency to favor the interests of big corporations and special interests over every day Americans.

    The American people deserve an opportunity to learn more about this nominee and whether he is committed to upholding their rights.

    As I stated when Merrick Garland was nominated by President Obama: There is plenty of room for tough questions and respectful debate in this process.

    All of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominees cleared a sixty vote threshold and President Trump’s nominee should adhere to the same standard. [3]

    		”

    Sheldon Whitehouse (D)

    Senator Whitehouse was quoted in The Providence Journal on January 31, 2017:[7]

    “

    The most important question President Trump's nominee will face is where he will stand on the special interest politics that has stricken the Court ... For years, a gang of five Republican appointees took direction from big right-wing lobbies ... Their efforts have corrupted our politics with special-interest 'dark money'; exacerbated the plague of guns; protected powerful corporations from answering to juries; busted unions; and given Republicans election advantages. Often, the Gang of 5 ignored conservative judicial doctrine to achieve political outcomes benefiting a 'usual suspects' list of special interests active before the Court. This has to stop, and Judge Gorsuch must pledge to stop it. [3]

    		”

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ The New York Times, "Justice Antonin Scalia, Who Led a Conservative Renaissance on the Supreme Court, Is Dead at 79," February 13, 2016
    2. ↑ The White House, "President Donald J. Trump nominates Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court," January 31, 2017
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    4. ↑ Politico, "Gorsuch confirmation hearing set for March 20," February 16, 2017
    5. ↑ YouTube, "Reed and Steve Kornacki Discuss Judge Gorsuch on MSNBC," February 1, 2017
    6. ↑ Senator Jack Reed, "Reed statement on Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch," January 31, 2017
    7. ↑ The Providence Journal, "R.I. delegation questions Trump's choice for Supreme Court," January 31, 2017
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