WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court. After dozens of legal immigrants were detained at airports over the weekend solely because of their country of origin and Monday’s unprecedented firing of an Attorney General for refusing to defend President Trump’s unlawful executive order in court, President Trump moved up his Supreme Court announcement to try to change the headlines. Given the actions of President Trump in recent days, Durbin highlighted the critical need for the Supreme Court to serve as an independent check on an out of control Executive. Durbin also reiterated his insistence that President Trump’s nominee be subject to a 60 vote threshold, as past nominees have met.
“On Tuesday night, President Trump announced he would nominate 10th Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. It’s important to put that nomination in context. This is not a run-of-the mill nomination. It’s an extraordinary time in America’s history. President Trump’s announcement was actually supposed to happen today. Why was it sped up? Why did they hurry it up? Well, because of the avalanche of criticism being heaped on the Trump Administration for their executive orders on refugees and immigration,” said Durbin. “President Trump moved up his Supreme Court announcement to try to change the headlines. In doing so, he made even more clear how critical it is that we have an independent judicial system, not a rubber-stamp for the President. With my oath to support and defend the Constitution firmly in mind, I will consider Judge Gorsuch’s nomination. I will strive to be thorough, fair, and focused on the important principles that I have discussed today.”
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