Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch is facing the Senate Judiciary Committee for a third day of confirmation hearings Wednesday. While he's been praised by Republicans for his strong conservative record and boasts a sterling academic pedigree, Democrats have pointed to the federal appellate judge's rulings on workers' rights and women's issues as points of concern. Some Democrats have also cited the unfair treatment of Judge Merrick Garland's nomination to the same seat by former President Barack Obama as reason to obstruct Gorsuch's nomination.
The Garland argument holds little weight at this point, as Obama has left office and President Trump has nominated Gorsuch to the seat, as is his constitutional right. But if Democrats cannot use the Garland argument or Gorsuch's own judicial record to delay the confirmation, it seems they have developed a third tactic: delegitimizing President Trump's right to nominate Gorsuch in the first place.
In light of FBI Director James Comey's disclosure Monday that the bureau is actively investigating whether the Trump campaign has any untoward ties with Russia, both Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have indicated they believe Gorsuch's nomination is illegitimate because of the ongoing probe:
Gorsuch enjoys unified support from Republicans, while no Democrats have yet said they would support him. His final day of Senate hearings is Thursday.