Judgment on Gorsuch: Justice will fit well in Scalia’s shoes
WASHINGTON — Monday marks the start of the first full term of the U.S. Supreme Court’s newest, youngest and likely most conservative member, Justice Neil Gorsuch — who is expected to have an impact similar to that of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last week described Gorsuch as a well-prepared and hardworking jurist who “cast himself as a potential rival to justice (Sonia) Sotomayor as the justice who asks the most questions at oral argument.”
Sarah Harrington, a Supreme Court litigator and former assistant to the U.S. solicitor general, argued before Gorsuch on his first day on the bench.
“His personality on the bench is that he is going to be very well prepared, very active,” Harrington said. “He’s going to be the kind of justice who finds the hidden weakness in your case that you are hoping nobody is going to ask you a question about.”
In his first few months on the bench last term and in comments since his confirmation, Gorsuch also established himself as a clear conservative, joining Justice Clarence Thomas — long thought to be the court’s most conservative member — four times in concurring or dissenting opinions.
At an event at the University of Louisville Thursday, Gorsuch underscored the importance of respecting the separation of powers and ruling based on what the law is — not what judges believe it should be.
“It is the job of the judge to apply it, not amend the law ... even when he might well prefer a very different outcome,” Gorsuch said. “That last part’s pretty tough.”
His presence on the court is also seen as a major political win for Republicans and President Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced Gorsuch at the event in his home state Thursday, saying, “I knew he’d be great for our country.”
McConnell also joined Gorsuch at another event at the University of Kentucky in Lexington in what some observers called a “victory tour” for McConnell, whose decision to halt consideration of President Obama’s nominee to replace Scalia — Judge Merrick Garland — paved the way for Trump to fill the seat.