Congressman Eliot L. Engel issued the following statement on the President’s nomination of Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court Justice:
“Tonight, the President shocked no one by picking Neil Gorsuch, a Supreme Court nominee with a regressive record who could only appeal to the furthest reaches of the extreme right-wing.
“Conservative ideologues will laud this pick, as it represents everything they have come to stand for— an anti-women, anti-civil rights, pro-gun agenda that can only serve to turn back the clock on American progress. The addition of Gorsuch to our highest court could spell doom for a woman’s right to choose, worker’s rights, gun safety, environmental protections, voting rights, and a whole host of other safeguards that protect working Americans.
“The pick is even more troubling when you remember what happened to Merrick Garland, a highly qualified jurist who drew universal praise from across the political spectrum. Senate Republicans stonewalled his nomination for a year – not for any legitimate reason, but just to deny President Obama his right to appoint a Supreme Court Justice. Their conduct was disgusting, and the abdication of their Constitutional duty set a precedent that I believe should not soon be forgotten. Senate Democrats would be wise to remember the example their Republican colleagues set when it comes to the Supreme Court nominating process.”
