No man is above law, says Trump’s pick for top court
Washington, March 22: Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch enters the third day of his confirmation hearing — and his final day of testimony — largely unscathed by Democratic attacks, as Republicans confidently predict he will win Senate approval despite liberal opposition.
The political intensity accompanying Mr Gorsuch’s confirmation process seemed at times palpable during the second day of hearings Tuesday, as the questioning stretched beyond 11 hours.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut announced he would be asking Mr Gorsuch about the “elephant in the room” — Mr Trump — and tried to draw him out over Mr Trump’s attacks on judges, including those who halted his immigration travel ban.
“When anyone criticises the honesty and integrity or the motives of a federal judge, I find that disheartening, I find that demoralising,” Mr Gorsuch said.
“Including the president?” Mr Blumenthal asked. “Anyone is anyone,” Mr Gorsuch replied.
He declared he’s made no promises to Mr Trump or anyone else about how he’ll vote on abortion or other issues and testified he’ll have no trouble as a justice holding anyone accountable, including the president who picked him.
Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina asked Gorsuch whether Trump had asked him to overturn Roe v. Wade, the case establishing a right to abortion, and what he would have done had Trump asked him to do so.
“Senator, I would have walked out the door,” Gorsuch replied. “That’s not what judges do.” — AP