Toomey Statement on Supreme Court Nominee

Member Group : U.S. Senator Pat Toomey

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States:

"I was pleased to see President Trump nominate Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court of the United States.
"Crucially, Judge Gorsuch understands the proper role of a judge. He understands that his job is to apply the law and U.S. Constitution as written, not to pick winners and losers based on personal or partisan policy preferences. Judge Gorsuch’s record shows that he will treat everyone equally—regardless of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, political views, influence, or wealth. And I believe that like Justice Scalia, Judge Gorsuch will be a principled justice, will be dedicated to the principles of originalism, and will neutrally apply the law, even when doing so leads to a policy outcome he personally opposes.

"Judge Gorsuch’s record indicates that he has the character, intellect, and experience to make an excellent addition to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"Judge Gorsuch has sterling credentials. He earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, his law degree from Harvard, and a PhD in Law from Oxford University. In 2006, the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Gorsuch to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit without a single Democrat or Republican objecting.

"I have long held that when considering judicial nominees, objective qualifications are more important than partisan politics, and Senators should work across the aisle to fill the federal bench with highly qualified jurists.

"I have worked on a bipartisan basis with Senator Casey and the Obama White House to fill 16 vacancies on the federal bench in Pennsylvania. And, although I knew I would disagree with many of her decisions, I supported President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I plan to apply the same standard of fairness to the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch. And I hope my fellow Senators will do the same. I hope they will review Judge Gorsuch’s record with an open mind. And I hope they will remember that the test is not whether we agree with every decision Judge Gorsuch has rendered, but whether Judge Gorsuch understands the proper role of a judge and has the character, intellect, and experience to merit confirmation.

"I look forward to the Judiciary Committee’s hearing and meeting Judge Gorsuch in person."

Elizabeth "E.R." Anderson
Communications Director
U.S Senator Pat Toomey
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
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