Our pistol-packing Senator, Dianne Feinstein set the tone for the hearings by denouncing the Republican’s denial of a hearing for Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland. In effect, she was placing the committee on notice that the Democrats will do everything in their power to discredit Judge Gorsuch at every opportunity.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is made up of nine Democrats and eleven Republicans. Senator Chuck Grassly (R: Iowa) is the chairman and Dianne Feinstein is the “Ranking Member”. Other Democrats include Patrick Leahy (Vermont), Richard Durbin (Illinois), Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Al Franken (Minnesota), Christopher Coons (Delaware), Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut), and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii).
The Republicans on the committee include Orrin Hatch (Utah), Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), John Cornyn (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah), Ted Cruz (Texas), Ben Sasse (Nebraska), Jeff Flake (Arizona), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Thom Tillis (North Carolina), and John Kennedy (Louisiana).
It is going to be hard for even the likes of Feinstein and Al Franken to assail the character and integrity of a man of Neil Gorsuch’s proven record, but they are determined to try their worst. Feinstein is concerned that Judge Gorsuch is an “originalist”. In other words, she fears that he will not read between the lines of the constitution to find meanings that are not there. Apparently, Feinstein believes the original wording of the constitution no longer applies in today’s society.
Gorsuch may be not just qualified for the Supreme Court seat but the most qualified person in the land for that seat. He has degrees from University College, Oxford, Columbia University, University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Harvard Law School. His Senate confirmation for the 10th Circuit Federal Appeals Court was unanimous. His work history may be the most impressive of any person nominated to the Supreme Court. He has clerked for the likes of Supreme Court Justices Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy and was a Deputy Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice. Also to his credit, he has tried 2700 cases in the 10th Circuit Appeals Court.
In his opening statement, Gorsuch affirmed his commitment to leaving the law making to the legislature and merely passing judgment on the laws as they are written. It’s going to be hard for the Democrats to discredit a man of this caliber. But I’m certain that won’t stop them from trying.
While the Senate Judiciary Committee may be a thorny patch to transcend, the full Senate will be the real test. Democrats know it will take 60 votes for confirmation. They will try to coerce as many of their party to vote no, but they also know that Harry Reid set a precedent for the “nuclear” option – simple majority vote – to get confirmation for Obama appointees. Although Supreme Court nominees were specifically exempted from Reid’s nuclear option, it would not be unthinkable for Senate Majority Leader McConnell to extend it for this confirmation.
The appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court may be one of the most important actions of the Trump term. It may even be the most important action of the century. Many of the Trump plans are destined to depend on judiciary review. We have already seen that in the two travel bans the Federal Courts have held up. The Progressives and Obama’s paid agitators are more than willing to subject any actions from the Trump White House to litigation. The Supreme Court is certain to have the final say, though, making it essential to have an ideologically balanced court. The addition of Judge Gorsuch to that court would bring it back to the days when Antonin Scalia sat on the bench.
