Washington, D.C. — Center for American Progress President and CEO Neera Tanden released the following statement following President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court:
Americans rely on the Supreme Court to give the final word on the most important cases that affect their lives. The Court protects individual rights and ensures that the president of the United States is complying with the law of the land. Not only has President Trump assumed office as the most unpopular incoming president ever, he also lost the popular vote by some 3 million votes, and just in his first week in office, he already issued orders that lawmakers and legal experts say are illegal.
The American people are loudly demanding answers about Trump’s financial conflicts of interest, his radical executive actions since assuming office, and even the legitimacy of his election. Protests are raging across the country against his radical agenda. For these reasons, President Trump should have chosen a consensus candidate for the Supreme Court. Whoever occupies this lifetime position must reflect the values and views of the American people—and must, now more than ever, be up to the challenge of serving as a check on the other branches.
Instead, Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch, a conservative extremist who will put Trump’s agenda and wealthy special interests ahead of the needs of average Americans. Gorsuch wants to give unelected judges more power to strike down federal regulations that protect consumers and the environment. He has repeatedly sided with big business and against workers. Gorsuch has also ruled against women’s access to contraception and workers claiming discrimination. Gorsuch would likely continue the Supreme Court’s trend of ruling in favor of corporations and against American workers and consumers.
For this and many other reasons, the Center for American Progress opposes this nomination to the Supreme Court and urges the Senate not to consider Gorsuch.
For more information or to speak to an expert on this topic, please contact Tanya Arditi at [email protected] or 202.741.6258.