Confirmation Hearing for Judge Neil Gorsuch Begins Today

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Mar 20, 2017

Confirmation Hearing for Judge Neil Gorsuch Begins Today

The Senate confirmation hearing of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch is set to begin today.

Gorsuch was nominated by Trump to replace the deceased Justice Antonin Scalia. Many conservatives--even those who tend to disagree with the President--have praised Gorsuch’s nomination and argue that he is the kind of conservative justice they had hoped would replace the conservative Scalia.

Gorsuch is a judge on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Colorado. He is known for his conservative principles and has ruled in favor of religious liberty and against assisted suicide.

Although widely praised by conservatives, Senate Democrats have their concerns about him.

"If he shows in his answers that he is out of the mainstream as his opinions indicate he very well may be," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), "I will use every tool available, including the filibuster, to oppose him."

According to Fox News, Senate Democrats will likely focus much of their questions for Gorsuch on the issue of abortion, since he has not made an official ruling on that issue.

"I will not support any candidate who intends to turn back the clock on civil rights, including women's reproductive rights and LGBT equality," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Some liberal groups have criticized Senate Democrats for not opposing Gorsuch fiercely enough up to this point.

A group led by NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League) Pro-Choice America recently sent a strong-worded letter to Senate Democrats, urging them to resist Gorsuch’s confirmation.

"Democrats have failed to demonstrate a strong, unified resistance to this nominee despite the fact that he is an ultra-conservative jurist who will undermine our basic freedoms and threaten the independence of the federal judiciary," said the letter. "We need you to do better."

 

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Publication date: March 20, 2017



Confirmation Hearing for Judge Neil Gorsuch Begins Today