By Jahnvi Upreti
Staff Writer
Senate Democrats promised to filibuster the nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch for a position in the Supreme Court on Thursday, March 23.
The movement was spearheaded by Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who said he refuses to vote for Gorsuch. Schumer questioned Gorsuch’s capability, stating Gorsuch is “not a neutral legal mind, but someone with a deep-seated conservative ideology,” The Washington Post reported.
According to the same source, Gorsuch was nominated by the Trump administration to fill the vacant seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in 2016.
The 49-year-old conservative judge has served on the Denver-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the last 10 years, The Washington Post reported.
Gorsuch is facing scrutiny from Democrats for his conservative views on election laws and social justice issues, according to CNN.
Kristen Clarke, head of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, stated that Gorsuch’s mindset “reflects a narrow view of civil rights and a deep skepticism of protecting those rights in the courtroom,” The Washington Post reported.
In order for Gorsuch to advance in his political journey and become a member of the Supreme Court, he must receive at least 60 votes in the Senate. This is a cause for concern for conservatives, as there are currently only 52 Republicans in the Senate, CNN reported.
In an effort to secure the nomination, Republicans are attempting to change the voting procedure, which has been utilized for decades, to one that requires a simple majority rather than the required 60 votes, according to CNN.
“If this nominee cannot earn 60 votes… the answer isn’t to change the rules. It’s to change the nominee,” Schumer said in response to the Republican’s desire to alter the voting procedure, The Washington Post reported.
Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va) is noted as the Democrat who is most likely vote in favor of Gorsuch’s nomination, according to The Washington Post.
According to the same source, Manchin stated that he will be visiting with Gorsuch shortly and will base his final decision off of that. Manchin warned Democrats not to prolong such strong opposition, as he believes “the Senate is on a slippery slope.”
