L
EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
WEDNESDAYS • April 5, 2017
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INSIDE
Public housing future discussed - 2 Virginia gov. pardons ‘Norfolk 4’ - 5 The case for Medicaid expansion - 6 The fear of death explored - 8
Richmond & Hampton Roads
LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM • FREE
Senate panel considers Gorsuch as threat of filibuster looms “Despite his impressive academic credentials, Judge Gorsuch’s record and evasive responses – even refusing to answer questions regarding his views of cases like Roe v. Wade and Citizens United – do not give me confidence that he possesses a judicial philosophy that will serve the American public well.”
Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch gestures as he speaks during his recent confirmation hearing. The battle to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court entered its final phase Monday as Republicans prepared to send the nomination to the full Senate, possibly triggering not only a Democratic filibuster but a rules change that could escalate fighting over future court nominees. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to consider Gorsuch’s nomination produced an early piece of news when Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the panel, said she would not support his confirmation. She did not immediately comment on whether Democrats plan to filibuster or whether she would vote to end the procedural roadblock. “If confirmed, a nominee’s decisions will affect the lives of all Americans for generations,” Feinstein said. “Our job is to assess whether the nominee will protect the legal and constitutional rights of all Americans and whether the nominee recognizes
the humanity and justice required when evaluating cases before him.” Based on those criteria, Feinstein said, “I cannot support this nomination.” The judiciary panel, where Republicans hold a majority of seats, is expected to approve Gorsuch without issue. This would allow debate on the nomination to begin in the full Senate, probably on Tuesday morning. Republicans have vowed to confirm Gorsuch by Friday, when a two-week recess is set to begin, meaning the process will consume the Senate’s floor schedule this week. That timeline would give the 49-year-old federal appellate judge a chance to join the high court in late April and to participate in the final cases of this year’s term, which will end in June. As the hearing opened, Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) called Gorsuch the “picture of the kind of justice we
- U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) who intends to vote against Gorsuch. should have on the Supreme Court.” Gorsuch, McConnell and his caucus “Judge Gorsuch is eminently are likely to agree to change the qualified,” Grassley said. “He’s chamber’s rules and end filibusters a mainstream judge who has on Supreme Court picks. That would earned the universal respect of his extend a rule change Democrats colleagues on the bench and in the made in 2013 that punished bar. He applies the law as we in Republicans for years of attempts Congress write it . . . and he refuses to block President Barack Obama’s to compromise his independence.” nominees by ending filibusters for all Gorsuch’s nomination to replace executive branch appointments and the late justice Antonin Scalia, lower-court picks. whose “originalist” philosophy of Last year, Republicans refused constitutional interpretation he to hold hearings or votes for Judge shares, would be unlikely to tip the Merrick Garland, Obama’s choice ideological balance of the Supreme to replace Scalia, arguing that the Court. And Gorsuch’s three days of next president should get to pick the confirmation hearings last month replacement. The move infuriated never captured the national attention Democrats — and has been a major afforded to previous nominees. factor in generating such unified But the final round of debate on opposition to Gorsuch. his nomination could be bitter. And Martin B. Gold, a former floor although the Republican-controlled adviser and counsel to former Senate Senate is likely to confirm him, that majority leaders Howard Baker and will happen only if the chamber’s Bill Frist who has written a book rules are changed. about Senate floor procedure, warned Democrats are vowing to filibuster that this week’s expected change in Gorsuch, a tactical roadblock that Senate rules is likely to put even can only be overcome with the votes more importance on the partisan of 60 senators. Republicans hold control of the Senate. 52 seats, and only three moderate “Between the Democrats taking Democrats said they plan to vote for offense at what the Republicans did his confirmation. on Garland and Republicans taking On Sunday, Senate Minority offense to what Democrats are doing Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) to Gorsuch, you wonder who’s going said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to put the weapons down, or if they’ll that it is “highly, highly unlikely” always stay drawn,” Gold said. “And that Republicans will get the 60 if the partisan makeup flips, you votes needed to end a Democratic wonder if a president will ever get filibuster. (continued on page 3) If Democrats successfully filibuster