Lindsey Graham excoriates Democrats for their hypocritical criticism of Neil Gorsuch
As confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch entered their third day Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) continued his consistent pleas against politicizing the judiciary process. Graham began by noting Gorsuch's stated dislike for "anyone" criticizing the integrity of a federal judge — Gorsuch has called such comments, similar to ones made recently by President Trump, "disheartening and demoralizing" — and said he agreed with Gorsuch that such speech is "out of bounds."
Then, Graham turned his sights from Trump to his Democratic counterparts on Capitol Hill. He read statements from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that were critical of Gorsuch, and noted the apparent hypocrisy:
Graham criticized the apparent "double standard" by Democrats between nominees chosen by a Democratic president versus a Republican president, pointing out that he voted for former President Barack Obama's two nominees, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, because they were qualified, not because they would advance his preferred agenda. "What more can you ask for?" Graham asked his Democratic peers:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), whose questioning followed Graham's, was quick to note Obama actually nominated three judges to the Supreme Court — Sotomayor, Kagan, and Judge Merrick Garland — and that Graham did not in fact vote for all of Obama's nominees, as Senate Republicans refused to give Garland a hearing. Gorsuch is nominated for the same seat Garland was tapped to fill by Obama.
-
High Court action over Cape Verde tourist deathsThe Explainer Holidaymakers sue TUI after gastric illness outbreaks linked to six British deaths
-
The battle over the Irish language in Northern IrelandUnder the Radar Popularity is soaring across Northern Ireland, but dual-language sign policies agitate division as unionists accuse nationalists of cultural erosion
-
Villa Treville Positano: a glamorous sanctuary on the Amalfi CoastThe Week Recommends Franco Zeffirelli’s former private estate is now one of Italy’s most exclusive hotels
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
