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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 22 March 2017
No promises and no one above law, Gorsuch says

The abortion question was
especially pointed be-
cause Trump himself has
insisted he would appoint
“pro-life justices” who
would vote to overturn the
1973 Roe decision.
Gorsuch likewise wouldn’t
comment on litigation
over Trump’s efforts to ban
travel to the U.S. by people
from some mainly Muslim
countries. He did, however,
say publicly what he had
previously told senators in
private about Trump’s at-
tacks on judges who ruled
against him on that issue.
“When anyone criticizes
the honesty and integrity
or the motives of a federal
judge, I find that disheart-
ening, I find that demoral-
Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, izing,” he said.
March 21, 2017, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Sen. Richard Blumenthal,
the Connecticut Demo-
MARK SHERMAN Gorsuch said, after Trump ic attempts to link him to crat, asked, “Including the
ERICA WERNER bemoaned his loss of Gor- Trump. president?”q
Associated Press such’s native Colorado in
WASHINGTON (AP) — Su- November. When Vermont
preme Court nominee Neil Democratic Sen. Patrick
Gorsuch declared Tuesday Leahy asked Gorsuch if a
he’s made no promises to president is free to ignore
Donald Trump or anyone laws on national security
else about how he’ll vote grounds, Gorsuch replied
on abortion or other issues that “nobody is above the
and testified he’ll have no law in this country, and that
trouble as a justice holding includes the president of
anyone accountable, in- the United States.”
cluding the president who Some Democratic senators
picked him. who are not on the Judi-
Gorsuch also called ciary Committee called for
Trump’s attacks on feder- a pause in the confirma-
al judges “disheartening” tion process after FBI Di-
and “demoralizing.” rector James Comey said
During the long second Monday that the bureau is
day of his Senate confir- investigating Russian med-
mation hearings, Gorsuch dling in last year’s election
made two other notable and potential ties between
statements in response to Trump associates and Rus-
questions from members sia. Massachusetts Sen.
of the Judiciary Commit- Elizabeth Warren said on
tee, and both also related Twitter that while the inves-
to Trump, who nominated tigation continues, “lifetime
him. Republican Lindsey court appointments can
Graham of South Carolina wait.”
asked Gorsuch whether Judiciary Committee chair-
Trump had asked him to man Chuck Grassley dis-
overturn Roe v. Wade, the missed the idea as ridicu-
case establishing a right lous. On a day mostly de-
to abortion, and what he void of drama, Gorsuch
would have done had batted away Democrats’
Trump asked him to do so. efforts to get him to reveal
“Senator, I would have his views on abortion, guns
walked out the door,” Gor- and other controversial is-
such replied. “That’s not sues, insisting he keeps “an
what judges do.” Later in open mind for the entire
the day, Gorsuch acknowl- process” when he makes
edged that he and Trump rulings. His comments were
discussed abortion during similar in response to ques-
his Supreme Court inter- tions from majority Repub-
view, but only how divisive licans as they tried to help
an issue it is. Their conversa- him highlight his neutrality
tion touched on abortion, in the face of Democrat-