This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/feb/01/supreme-court-nomination-live-trump-gorsuch-hardiman
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Supreme court nomination live: Trump picks Neil Gorsuch to be ninth justice | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.17am GMT | |
| 01:17 | |
| Vice-president Mike Pence is on board: | |
| Judge Gorsuch is one of the most mainstream, respected, and exceptionally qualified Supreme Court nominees in American history. | |
| “Mainstream” is an interesting choice of word – a challenge to Democrats who had signalled the possibility of blocking or slowing any confirmation of a Trump pick. | |
| 1.14am GMT | |
| 01:14 | |
| “Impartiality and independence, collegiality and courage” is what is expected of judges, Gorsuch says. | |
| A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge. | |
| He says he will speak to people on both sides ahead of his confirmation. | |
| He says his family, friends and faith keep him grounded, and thanks them. His wife Louise is standing beside him at the lectern. | |
| Gorsuch winds up by saying he is honored and humbled, and thanks Trump. | |
| 1.13am GMT | |
| 01:13 | |
| Tom McCarthy | |
| President Donald Trump has nominated circuit court judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacant seat on the US supreme court, setting up a showdown with congressional Democrats and activists over a pick that could shape the ideological bent of the court for a generation. | |
| Gorsuch, 49, the youngest supreme court nominee in 25 years, was among a group of federal judges reported in recent weeks to be on Trump’s shortlist. A strict adherent of judicial restraint known for sharply-written opinions and bedrock conservative views, Gorsuch, a Colorado native, is popular among his peers and is seen as having strong backing among Republicans generally. | |
| The nomination landed at a moment of sharply-increasing alarm that the Trump administration plans to pursue extremist policies on core questions likely to come before the court, from religious equality to abortion rights to campaign finance, voting rights, access to healthcare, marriage equality, anti-discrimination protections and more. | |
| Trump’s nominee has the potential to tip the court one way or the other on those questions. If confirmed, Gorsuch would return the court to nine justices, filling a seat left vacant since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016. | |
| 1.11am GMT | |
| 01:11 | |
| Gorsuch says Scalia was “a lion of the law”. His voice cracks slightly as he adds: “I miss him.” | |
| 1.10am GMT | |
| 01:10 | |
| Neil Gorsuch speaks | |
| Gorsuch says the president and his team “have shown me great courtesy in this process”. | |
| He says he is “acutely aware of my own imperfections”. | |
| 1.09am GMT | |
| 01:09 | |
| While in law school Gorsuch developed a reputation for helping the less fortunate, Trump says. | |
| He could have had any job at any law firm with any amount of money … He wanted to make an impact. | |
| He is a man who our country really needs, and needs badly, to ensure the rule of law. | |
| 1.07am GMT | |
| 01:07 | |
| Trump says Gorsuch has “tremendous bipartisan support”. | |
| “Was that a surprise, was it?” the president asks the audience of his pick. (It’s not clear what the answer is supposed to be.) | |
| Trump says Gorsuch is the “ultimate” representative of the late Justice Scalia. | |
| 1.05am GMT | |
| 01:05 | |
| Trump’s autocue might have scooped his own announcement: | |
| It's Gorsuch per the teleprompter | |
| 1.04am GMT | |
| 01:04 | |
| Trump nominates Neil Gorsuch | |
| Gorsuch is confirmed as Trump’s nominee. | |
| 1.03am GMT | |
| 01:03 | |
| Trump arrives | |
| The president comes to the lectern to applause. | |
| He begins by saying that he had promised to “find the very best judge in the country for the supreme court … who loves our constitution”. | |
| He says this “may be the most transparent” selection process in history. | |
| 12.57am GMT | |
| 00:57 | |
| Here’s frontrunner Neil Gorsuch speaking last year on finding out that Antonin Scalia had died: | |
| A few weeks ago, I was taking a breather in the middle of a ski run with little on my mind but the next mogul field when my phone rang with the news. | |
| I immediately lost what breath I had left, and I am not embarrassed to admit that I couldn’t see the rest of the way down the mountain for the tears. | |
| From that moment it seemed clear to me there was no way I could give a speech about the law at this time without reference to that news. | |
| 12.52am GMT | |
| 00:52 | |
| There’s quite the gathering in the East Room of the White House for the unveiling of Trump’s pick: | |
| Kellyanne Conway, Mitch McConnell, and Paul Ryan just arrived. Kellyanne is in the front row and they're in the second. | |
| Antonin Scalia's son Paul is in the front row | |
| Ted Cruz is also in the room. | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.54am GMT | |
| 12.49am GMT | |
| 00:49 | |
| As we wait for the Scotus announcement – in around 15 minutes from now – Reuters has news of some separate White House nominations: | |
| President Donald Trump will nominate US attorney Rod Rosenstein to be deputy attorney general, the White House said on Tuesday, one day after Trump fired the acting attorney general Sally Yates for refusing to enforce an immigration order. | |
| The White House also said Trump will nominate Rachel Brand to be associate attorney general and Steven Engel to be an assistant attorney general, filling senior positions as the justice department awaits Senate confirmation of Jeff Sessions to be attorney general. | |
| 12.37am GMT | 12.37am GMT |
| 00:37 | 00:37 |
| If Trump was hoping for wall-to-wall reality TV-style coverage of this announcement – which is usually a more solemn, dignified affair – he’s getting it. US major broadcast networks are expected to cover live the unveiling of his supreme court pick. | If Trump was hoping for wall-to-wall reality TV-style coverage of this announcement – which is usually a more solemn, dignified affair – he’s getting it. US major broadcast networks are expected to cover live the unveiling of his supreme court pick. |
| Getting ready to deliver a VERY IMPORTANT DECISION! 8:00 P.M. | Getting ready to deliver a VERY IMPORTANT DECISION! 8:00 P.M. |
| But it’s possible that we won’t see an Apprentice-style final face-off, with unconfirmed reports now emerging that only one contender (presumably the successful one) has made it to the White House: | But it’s possible that we won’t see an Apprentice-style final face-off, with unconfirmed reports now emerging that only one contender (presumably the successful one) has made it to the White House: |
| SCOOP: "Only 1 of the 2" SCOTUS finalists made it to DC today, per WH official. Means *no "Apprentice"-style showdown. @HallieJackson | SCOOP: "Only 1 of the 2" SCOTUS finalists made it to DC today, per WH official. Means *no "Apprentice"-style showdown. @HallieJackson |
| 12.29am GMT | 12.29am GMT |
| 00:29 | 00:29 |
| What do we know about Thomas Hardiman? | What do we know about Thomas Hardiman? |
| Tom McCarthy | Tom McCarthy |
| Hardiman, 51, of Pennsylvania, sits on the third circuit court of appeals, to which he was appointed by Bush in 2007. A former district court judge, Hardiman graduated from Georgetown law school in Washington. If nominated and confirmed, he would be the only supreme court justice without an Ivy League law degree. | Hardiman, 51, of Pennsylvania, sits on the third circuit court of appeals, to which he was appointed by Bush in 2007. A former district court judge, Hardiman graduated from Georgetown law school in Washington. If nominated and confirmed, he would be the only supreme court justice without an Ivy League law degree. |
| He has advanced conservative interpretations, particularly in “law and order” cases touching on issues such as sentencing guidelines, the death penalty, the right to film police and second amendment issues. | He has advanced conservative interpretations, particularly in “law and order” cases touching on issues such as sentencing guidelines, the death penalty, the right to film police and second amendment issues. |
| In one case, Hardiman questioned whether the first amendment protected people who videotaped police during a traffic stop. | In one case, Hardiman questioned whether the first amendment protected people who videotaped police during a traffic stop. |
| “We conclude there was insufficient case law establishing a right to videotape police officers during a traffic stop to put a reasonably competent officer on ‘fair notice’ that seizing a camera or arresting an individual for videotaping police during the stop would violate the First Amendment,” Hardiman wrote. | “We conclude there was insufficient case law establishing a right to videotape police officers during a traffic stop to put a reasonably competent officer on ‘fair notice’ that seizing a camera or arresting an individual for videotaping police during the stop would violate the First Amendment,” Hardiman wrote. |
| 12.22am GMT | 12.22am GMT |
| 00:22 | 00:22 |
| What do we know about Neil Gorsuch? | What do we know about Neil Gorsuch? |
| Megan Carpentier | Megan Carpentier |
| Gorsuch, 49, was appointed in 2006 by Bush to the 10th circuit court of appeals, in Denver, Colorado, and is a frequent member of Republican-leaning supreme court shortlists. He is the youngest entry on Trump’s reported shortlist. | Gorsuch, 49, was appointed in 2006 by Bush to the 10th circuit court of appeals, in Denver, Colorado, and is a frequent member of Republican-leaning supreme court shortlists. He is the youngest entry on Trump’s reported shortlist. |
| His only book, The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, was intended to bolster the case against its legalization; its publisher called it his central thesis “the idea that human life is intrinsically valuable and that intentional killing is always wrong”. In 2012, Michael Fragoso, a longtime anti-abortion advocate and current counsel to Arizona senator Jeff Flake, called Gorsuch and other young Bush-era judicial appointees “as good a college of judicial cardinals as the conservative and pro-life movements have ever seen”. | His only book, The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, was intended to bolster the case against its legalization; its publisher called it his central thesis “the idea that human life is intrinsically valuable and that intentional killing is always wrong”. In 2012, Michael Fragoso, a longtime anti-abortion advocate and current counsel to Arizona senator Jeff Flake, called Gorsuch and other young Bush-era judicial appointees “as good a college of judicial cardinals as the conservative and pro-life movements have ever seen”. |
| Gorsuch has notably used his time on the federal bench to criticize the existing volume of federal regulation as potentially unconstitutional on a variety of grounds, a point he has made in at least one public speech as well. He is a graduate of Harvard law school. | Gorsuch has notably used his time on the federal bench to criticize the existing volume of federal regulation as potentially unconstitutional on a variety of grounds, a point he has made in at least one public speech as well. He is a graduate of Harvard law school. |
| 12.14am GMT | 12.14am GMT |
| 00:14 | 00:14 |
| What has Trump said about his process for picking a supreme court nominee? | What has Trump said about his process for picking a supreme court nominee? |
| He promised his choice would be a “truly great” justice who is “pro-life”. | He promised his choice would be a “truly great” justice who is “pro-life”. |
| Earlier this month he told told Republicans: | Earlier this month he told told Republicans: |
| I think in my mind I know who it is. I think you’re going to be very, very excited. | I think in my mind I know who it is. I think you’re going to be very, very excited. |
| By Sunday – amid ongoing protests against the travel ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries and a block on refugees – he had apparently made up his mind: | By Sunday – amid ongoing protests against the travel ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries and a block on refugees – he had apparently made up his mind: |
| I have made my decision on who I will nominate for The United States Supreme Court. It will be announced live on Tuesday at 8:00 P.M. (W.H.) | I have made my decision on who I will nominate for The United States Supreme Court. It will be announced live on Tuesday at 8:00 P.M. (W.H.) |
| 12.03am GMT | 12.03am GMT |
| 00:03 | 00:03 |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| President Donald Trump will shortly announce his pick for the supreme court vacancy created by the death of staunchly conservative justice Antonin Scalia in February last year. | President Donald Trump will shortly announce his pick for the supreme court vacancy created by the death of staunchly conservative justice Antonin Scalia in February last year. |
| Such nominations are rarely without controversy, of course: Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland for the same vacancy in March 2016, warning Republicans that any delays in confirming his appointment would cause a loss of faith in the supreme court, the justice system and democracy. Garland did not become a supreme court judge. | Such nominations are rarely without controversy, of course: Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland for the same vacancy in March 2016, warning Republicans that any delays in confirming his appointment would cause a loss of faith in the supreme court, the justice system and democracy. Garland did not become a supreme court judge. |
| But tonight’s announcement takes the circus to a new level: both presumed finalists – though let’s not assume there is no Trump joker card waiting to be played – have reportedly been summoned to the White House for a live broadcast announcement at 8pm ET, during which the president will tell one of the pair that he is hired. | But tonight’s announcement takes the circus to a new level: both presumed finalists – though let’s not assume there is no Trump joker card waiting to be played – have reportedly been summoned to the White House for a live broadcast announcement at 8pm ET, during which the president will tell one of the pair that he is hired. |
| It is not clear whether Neil Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman, judges in Colorado and Pennsylvania respectively, themselves know who is to be handed the prize. Perhaps they will find out with the rest of us – though leaked reports suggest Gorsuch is the frontrunner. | It is not clear whether Neil Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman, judges in Colorado and Pennsylvania respectively, themselves know who is to be handed the prize. Perhaps they will find out with the rest of us – though leaked reports suggest Gorsuch is the frontrunner. |
| We’ll have everything here on the live blog as it unfolds. | We’ll have everything here on the live blog as it unfolds. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.12am GMT | at 12.12am GMT |