I had forgotten all about Gorsuchās appalling decision in TransAm Trucking v. Administrative Review Board. I was so glad when Franken hammered him on it yesterday.
What a heartless POS Gorsuch is.
Personally, I canāt stomach anymore of this smug prickās non-responsiveness, clearly staged and pre-rehearsed performance to avoid answering any questions of substance. If thatās how the game is playedā¦count me out. Its a ridiculous show of pretentiousness, that presents us with a guy in an empty suit, unwilling to talk about any past, present or future insights involving the lawā¦for which youād think heād have an opinion on considering this is the job heās interviewing for.
These hearings arenāt designed to enlighten or informā¦nor do most Republicans want to go very much below the surface to provide any finders of fact or deliver any kind of meaningful inquiry. They really donāt want us to know anything important about the guy, who potentially could have a lifetime appointment provided by the American taxpayer.
Just another sham hearing.
http://www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2009/06/e0129e7f98de09d870b20755a94f947c1.jpg
That was enlightening but unfortunately Gorsuchās response was pure bullshit. So all I learned is that heās a self-righteous prickā¦which I already knew. He offered nothing in regards to his legal reasoning in that case where he had the lone dissenting opinion, if I recall correctly. In fact, he couldnāt even recall the case all that clearly, and deferred to all the thousands of cases he had ruled on as just one of many.
I just had the opportunity to watch some of Wednesday morningās hearing. All I can say is that the advice given to Gorsuch in advance of the hearings must have been, āBe sincere, whether you mean it or not.ā Every answer is non-responsive, but so, so earnest. A complete charade.
Oh, the flattery. If I were a Republicant, Iād be tickled pink, too. It is rare to find such a controlled liar, but they sniffed one out here. The opposition should be much more vocal about the elevation of someone who amounts to little more than a scab nominee to the highest court in the land. He hasnāt even had to cross a picket line. Difi barely stated the opposition. Sheesh. Wake up Democrats. President Whoever is getting away with murder and it is beginning to feel normal. It is sickening.
Durbin ripping Gorsuch for lying (about his record).
āI donāt recallāā¦ whether he found that a defendant had ineffective assistance.
Now Cornyn decries cherry picking. āJudge, this focus on your opinion in Dred vs. Scott overlooks the rest of your excellent recordā.
āthatās my job, to pass the law you passā
So fucking smarmy.
Haha. He made this stupid, meaningless distinction between ābackwardā and ābackwardsā, which he then promptly broke. Thomas Kuhn didnāt have as many meanings of paradigm as Gorsuch has in his words.
āwe follow precedentā. Heās denying that there are principles involved in the course.
God, heās loathsome.
IANAL, but nobody else is liveblogging.
Gorsuch ducks almost every question by either citing precedent, or deferring to the legislative branch.
He is the Chauncy Gardener of legal reasoning.
Well, Gorsuch is certainly quite intelligent.
Probably unprincipled, but intelligent.
I would vote for Sheldon Whitehouse for president, in a heartbeat.
I really want one senator to stand up and say āThe American peopleās voice needs to be heard. Since Trump was elected with 3 million fewer votes than an opponent clearly this nominee is not acceptable to the majority of Americans. No nominee will be considered until a president is elected with a majority and without evidence of foreign government intereference and collusion.ā
Wonāt work, but needs to be said.
What a nice, well prepared and well mannered regressive conservative. Just what a country needs to maintain itās place as the shinning light of democracy and freedom, or to finish the job of snuffing the light out.
And: Come on DNC get your act together, show some real fight.
When will a Democratic senator simply ask Trumpās nominee why he is even there? Because frankly he is an illegitimate nominee resulting from the GOP Senate refusing to advise and consent on Judge Garland.
As repellent as Gorsuchās legal philosophy and dithering during questioning are, the real issue is illustrated in this cartoon. He has been nominated by being inserted in line ahead of the last person nominated for the seat. Letās deal with Judge Garlandās confirmation hearings before we start looking for another replacement. Sadly, Mitch McConnell and the GOP seem to think they can steal this seat. Please, Democrats, prove them wrong. A couple of Republican Senators must be made to see the light and vote against this man. I hold out faint hope that some of them actually have consciences, and hope there are no Democratic defectors.
They need to filibuster anyone not named Garland.
Donāt hold your breath. As we know with the disastrous āpresidencyā of the Russian asset Trump the GOP put party above country.
āThe plain text of a statute is usually a pretty good starting point and reading it as youād expect a reasonable citizen to do soā¦not a pointy headed judge,ā
So, āI canāt interpret the law beyond the text of the statute, but I can divine what a āreasonable citizenā is and how such a person would interpret the text.ā
Highly disingenuous.