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U.S. NEWSSaturday 8 April 2017
Gorsuch confirmation rolls Supreme Court to the right
Continued from front Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., followed at left by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., leaves member court. As soon
the chamber after the vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Neil as April 13, he could take
Two are in their 80s and Gorsuch, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, April 7, 2017. The Senate confirmed Gorsuch to part in his first private con-
one is 78, raising the possi- become the newest associate justice on the Supreme Court Friday, elevating Donald Trump’s ference, where justices
bility that President Donald nominee following a corrosive partisan confrontation that could have lasting impacts for the Sen- decide whether to hear
Trump will have a chance ate and the court. cases — and some of them
to appoint more conser- could involve gun rights,
vatives to a court that has (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) voting rights and a Colo-
been somewhat balanced rado baker’s refusal to de-
in recent years. will serve the American crats up for re-election in has been recovering from sign a cake for a same-sex
Vice President Mike Pence people with distinction,” states Trump won last fall: back surgery, did not vote. couple’s wedding.
was presiding as the Sen- Trump said in a statement. Joe Manchin of West Virgin- Gorsuch’s name was on Friday’s Senate vote was
ate voted 54-45 in favor The judge won support ia, Heidi Heitkamp of North a list of potential choices the final act in a corrosive
of Gorsuch, a veteran of from 51 of the chamber’s Dakota and Joe Donnelly Trump produced during political confrontation that
Denver’s 10th U.S. Circuit Republicans as well as of Indiana. GOP Sen. John- the campaign, and was began with Majority Lead-
of Appeals whose conser- three moderate Demo- ny Isakson of Georgia, who vetted by conservative er Mitch McConnell’s deci-
vative rulings make him groups including the Fed- sion immediately after Sca-
an intellectual heir to Sca- eralist Society and the Heri- lia’s death to hold the seat
lia, who died in February tage Foundation. open for the next president
2016. Republicans blocked That unusual external re- to fill, rather than convene
Barack Obama from filling view omitted consultation hearings for Obama’s
the seat all last year. with Senate Democrats, nominee, Judge Merrick
The outcome was a major contributing to bitter Dem- Garland.
victory for Trump, his first ocrat complaints about Democrats seethed for
big congressional win. And the way the whole process months over Garland’s
it was cause for celebra- was handled. treatment, and under
tion for conservatives, who Gorsuch is expected to pressure from liberal activ-
have often seemed willing join a conservative-lean- ists fuming over the Trump
to forgive various Trump ing voting bloc of justices, presidency they mounted
failings next to the chance making five on the nine- a filibuster Thursday to
to win this lifetime appoint- block Gorsuch. McCon-
ment to the most impor- nell, R-Ky., immediately re-
tant court on the land. sponded, as expected, by
“As a deep believer in the leading his Republicans in
rule of law, Judge Gorsuch a unilateral rules change to
lower the vote threshold for
Supreme Court nominees
from 60 to a simple majority
in the 100-member Senate.
That paved the way for
Gorsuch’s confirmation
vote Friday, but left law-
makers of both parties be-
moaning the undoing of
comity in the Senate and
warning that the 60-vote
filibuster barrier on regular
legislation, a key tool to
force bipartisan coopera-
tion, could be next to go.
q
Trump picks key economics adviser
JOSH BOAK think tank that he joined in
AP Economics Writer 1997. He has provided eco-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- nomic advice to the presi-
dent Donald Trump chose dential campaigns of John
Kevin Hassett, an econom- McCain, George W. Bush
ics adviser to past Repub- and Mitt Romney. With
lican presidential candi- a doctorate in econom-
dates, on Friday to be chair ics from the University of
of the White House Council Pennsylvania, Hassett has
of Economic Advisers. Has- worked as a senior econo-
sett will play a critical role in mist at the Federal Reserve
analyzing the performance and taught at Columbia
of the economy and im- University’s business school.
pact of policy changes. Jason Furman, the previ-
Hassett is the research di- ous CEA chair under former
rector for domestic policy President Barack Obama,
at the American Enterprise hailed Hassett as an “ex-
Institute, a conservative cellent pick” on Twitter. q
