Trump’s court pick reaches out, but Democrats still wary

WASHINGTON — In daily visits to Senate offices, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has tried to make clear to Democrats that he’s an independent thinker.

Gorsuch told senators that he found President Donald Trump’s attacks on the judiciary “disheartening” and “demoralizing” after Trump had lashed out at a federal judge who issued a stay on his refugee and immigration ban. On Tuesday, Gorsuch told Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin that he hopes to be “half the nominee” as Merrick Garland, the judge nominated by President Barack Obama last year, only to be blocked by Senate Republicans.

Durbin, D-Ill., also said Gorsuch indicated support for criminal justice reform — a Durbin priority — and disavowed a 2005 National Review article he’d written criticizing Democrats and liberals.

“He said it was probably one of the biggest mistakes he ever made,” Durbin recalled Thursday.

“It’s a terrible article. He wishes it would just disappear.”

Though Democrats who have met with him have almost uniformly said that the perfectly pedigreed federal appeals court judge is impressive, Gorsuch’s overtures may not be enough to win him an easy confirmation. Liberals are pressuring Democrats to strongly oppose Trump’s pick. Several Democratic senators say they are uncomfortable with some of Gorsuch’s judicial decisions.

A year after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death created the vacancy, Democrats are still furious that Republicans refused to consider Garland. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said voters should have a say in the choice via the presidential election.

Republicans would like to see Gorsuch take the ninth spot on the court by the time they leave for a two-week recess April 10 and in time for the court’s arguments that start a week later.