The Senate will vote on giving Judge Gorsuch an up-or-down vote for the U.S. Supreme Court. While attention is being paid elsewhere, it’s crucial to remember that this is about Judge Gorsuch and the remarkable credentials he brings to the nation’s highest court.
April 6, 2017
| Today, the U.S. Senate will vote on whether to allow Judge Neil Gorsuch an up-or-down vote for the U.S. Supreme Court. While much attention is being paid to debate and impact on the Senate, it is important to remember that this is ultimately about Judge Gorsuch, and the remarkable credentials and qualifications he brings to the nation’s highest court.
Here are five fast facts to keep in mind as his confirmation wraps up over the next 24 hours: 1. UNANIMOUSLY CONFIRMED: In 2006, Judge Gorsuch was confirmed unanimously when appointed to the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. At the time, Senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, Dianne Feinstein, Patrick Leahy and others supported his nomination. 2. BIPARTISAN SUPPORT: Judge Gorsuch has the support of President Obama’s former acting Solicitor General, Neal Kaytal, was introduced by a Democrat Senator from his home state, Sen. Michael Bennet, at his confirmation hearing, and has garnered the backing from three Democrat Senators – Joe Manchin (D-WV), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN). 3. HIGHEST ABA RATING: The highly respected American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary gave Judge Gorsuch their highest possible rating of “well qualified” for the Supreme Court. 4. “MAINSTREAM” & “INDEPENDENT”: Even liberal commentators like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow have admitted that Gorsuch is a “relatively mainstream” and there is no debate that he would be an independent jurist on the Supreme Court. 5. “KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK”: Judge Gorsuch had one of the most impressive confirmation hearings in Supreme Court history, with pundits noting that he was “masterful” and “knocked it out of the park.” |