Neil Gorsuch Confirmation Process Discussion (confirmed 54-45)

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The confirmation hearing for Neil Gorsuch will begin on the 20th at 11 AM EST. The confirmation hearing will be held in three stages.

1. Gorsuch will be introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet (D), Sen. Cory Gardner (R), and Former Solicitor General Neal Katyal (D). (While these will be supportive messages, neither senator enters into any sort of obligation to vote for the nominee as a result of introducing him.) Next, all 20 senators on the judiciary committee will give 10-minute opening remarks (yes, all 20 of them). Gorsuch will also give his opening remarks at this stage. The whole affair will take the entirety of Monday.

2. Over the course of Tuesday and potentially part of Wednesday, Gorsuch will answer questions from all senators on the committee. Chairman Grassley will go first, followed by Ranking Member Feinstein. After that, the questioning will alternate by party (so a Democrat, then a Republican, then a Democrat, and so on), going from the most senior to the least senior members of the committee. Because the republicans have an 11-9 majority on the committee, the last two questioners will both be republicans (Tillis and Kennedy). Each senator will have 30 minutes to question the nominee. After everyone is done, Grassley may elect to allow a second round of questioning, presumably with a shorter per-senator time limit.

3. Starting at some point on Wednesday, continuing into Thursday, and potentially dragging into Friday, will be four sets of "panels", who will express their views on Gorsuch and answer questions. These are as follows:

Panel 1
American Bar Association - Supporting Gorsuch

Nancy Scott Deagan
Shannon Edwards

Panel 2

Supporting Gorsuch:

Deanall Reece Tacha (R), retired federal judge (Reagan Appointee)
Robert Harlan Henry (D), retired federal judge (Clinton Appointee)
John L. Kane, senior federal judge (Carter Appointee)
Leah Bressack, former law clerk

Opposing Gorsuch:

Elisa Massimino (D), CEO of Human Rights First
Jameel Jaffer (D), Executive Director of Knight First Amendment Institute
Jeff Perkins
Guerino J. Calemine, III, General Counsel, Communications Workers of America

Panel 3

Supporting Gorsuch:

Jeff Lamken, Partner, MoloLamken
Lawrence Solum, Law Professor, Georgetown University
Jonathan Turley, (L), Law Professor, George Washington University
Karen Harned (R), Executive Director, National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center

Opposing Gorsuch:

Heather McGhee (D), President of Demos
Fatima Goss Graves (D), Senior VP, National Women's Law Center
Pat Gallagher, Director, Environmental Law Program, Sierra Club
Eve Hill, Partner, Goldstein Levy

Panel 4

Supporting Gorsuch:

Peter Kirsanow (R), Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Alice Fisher, Partner, Latham & Watkins (Served as an Assistant Attorney General during Dubya's 2nd term)
Hannah Clayson Smith (R), Senior Counsel, Becket
Tim Myer, former law clerk
Jamil Jaffer (R), former law clerk

Opposing Gorsuch:

Kirsten Clarke, CEO of Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under law
Sarah Warbelow (D), Legal Director, Human Rights Campaign
Amy Hagstrom Miller (D), CEO of Whole Woman's Health
William Marshall, Professor, University of North Carolina
Sandy Phillips

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The hearing proceedings will be covered live on one of the C-SPAN stations (most likely C-SPAN 3), and may be covered on other networks as well.

*Many of the political party affiliations listed above are educated guesses. Those who I did not list a party affiliation for are those where I was not able to find enough information to even make an educated guess.*

http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/445871/gorsuch-hearing-logistics
https://jonathanturley.org/2017/03/18/gorsuch-hearing-to-start-monday-turley-to-testify-on-thursday/comment-page-1/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/expect-neil-gorsuch-confirmation-hearings-112005688--politics.html

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Following the hearing, the committee will vote on whether they will give a favorable or unfavorable report on Gorsuch to the full senate. Even if the report is unfavorable, McConnell may still elect to hold a vote on Gorsuch. Unless filibuster rules are changed, Gorsuch needs the support of 60 senators to be confirmed.

Discuss all proceedings here.

livestream of hearing that doesn't require existing cable subscription: http://www.politico.com/livestream-2-watch-live-streaming

[Bojack Horseman]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Confirming Gorsuch should be a bigger priority for the GOP then Ryancare.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

[Suburbia]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

Trump won the election. There is nothing that can be done. Scalia's replacement can't wait 4 more years.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

Yeah and guess what will happen if you successfully primary Manchin, Heitkamp, etc? You're giving those seats to the GOP.

[GoTfan]

If Democrats have any guts, then they'll block him with everything they have.

Not like they will though. Like the useful cowards they are, they'll cave.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

As shown with some of the cabinet nominations, Democrats not showing up to committee proceedings doesn't stop the proceedings from happening. At least if they show up they can make their argument and it's (theoretically) possible to turn republicans against Gorsuch. If they simply abandon the proceedings, that's effectively surrendering. Plus, it might make sense for them to vote to approve this nominee, so the filibuster stays around to be used against a replacement for Ginsburg or Kennedy in a year or two.

[GlobeSoc]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

As shown with some of the cabinet nominations, Democrats not showing up to committee proceedings doesn't stop the proceedings from happening. At least if they show up they can make their argument and it's (theoretically) possible to turn republicans against Gorsuch. If they simply abandon the proceedings, that's effectively surrendering. Plus, it might make sense for them to vote to approve this nominee, so the filibuster stays around to be used against a replacement for Ginsburg or Kennedy in a year or two.

To be promptly gutted. The democrats need to stand up now, as there's no way the republicans will let a Kennedy or Ginsberg replacement be stopped because of the seat's importance.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

Yeah and guess what will happen if you successfully primary Manchin, Heitkamp, etc? You're giving those seats to the GOP.

Oh noes! Then the Dems won't be able to hinder the GOP's deplorable agenda!

Oh, wait. They can't or won't do that anyway.

If the choices are between a small eternity of GOP vs. GOP-slightly lighter (at best), or years in the wilderness before the  Democrats can become a party worth supporting, I'll take the latter.  Although to be honest, I don't think the US as it presently exists is going to last long enough for it to matter.

 I used to think the US had a good two or three decades to make some badly needed structural and societal reforms. Now I think we'll be lucky to last past 2030.

The Dems have one good clean shot to pull together and convince independents and their own voters that they ought to be the opposition to the Trumpublicans. So far I've seen nearly nothing in terms of actions to convince me. Primarying them at the national level while taking over at the state and local level seems to be a good compromise between holding their feet to the fire, fighting the enemy, and preparing for the worst.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

Trump won the election. There is nothing that can be done. Scalia's replacement can't wait 4 more years.

The President is already holding campaign rallies for the next election. It would be inappropriate to confirm a nominee during an election. We should wait until 2020 and let the American people decide.

[MarkD]

Ah, revenge! Republicans said disingenuous things about why they were holding no hearings or vote on any nominee put forward by President Barack Obama, and now some Democrats here want to say things even more disingenuous, obviously out of a petty desire for sheer revenge.
A plague on both your parties.

I need to find out whether Gorsuch actually is an originalist. I particularly need to find out whether Gorsuch knows what was the originally understood meaning of the 9th Amendment, and what were the originally understood meanings of the Due Process Clauses of the 5th and 14th, and what was the originally understood meaning of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th.

[Virginiá]

If the choices are between a small eternity of GOP vs. GOP-slightly lighter (at best), or years in the wilderness before the  Democrats can become a party worth supporting, I'll take the latter.

Manchin still votes with Democrats significantly more than a WV Republican would. Just compare Manchin's voting history vs Capito. There is a big difference, and I'm not just talking about confirmation votes. It's not just about that. Yes, Manchin is voting for more of these guys, but acting like he's basically a Republican is pretty disingenuous. It's simply not true.

As for the wilderness - refusing to support centrists like Manchin in places like West Virginia is exactly what would help put us in the wilderness. Liberals or 100% party-line Democrats can't reliably win in places like West Virginia. We have to take what we can get.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Ah, revenge! Republicans said disingenuous things about why they were holding no hearings or vote on any nominee put forward by President Barack Obama, and now some Democrats here want to say things even more disingenuous, obviously out of a petty desire for sheer revenge.
A plague on both your parties.

I need to find out whether Gorsuch actually is an originalist. I particularly need to find out whether Gorsuch knows what was the originally understood meaning of the 9th Amendment, and what were the originally understood meanings of the Due Process Clauses of the 5th and 14th, and what was the originally understood meaning of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th.

Why? Do you think such revelations will have the slightest effect on a single vote in the Senate?

[krazen1211]

The Mitch Heist was truly a genius move.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Michael Bennet was already the kind of trash that needs to taken to the curb before this.

[MarkD]

Ah, revenge! Republicans said disingenuous things about why they were holding no hearings or vote on any nominee put forward by President Barack Obama, and now some Democrats here want to say things even more disingenuous, obviously out of a petty desire for sheer revenge.
A plague on both your parties.

I need to find out whether Gorsuch actually is an originalist. I particularly need to find out whether Gorsuch knows what was the originally understood meaning of the 9th Amendment, and what were the originally understood meanings of the Due Process Clauses of the 5th and 14th, and what was the originally understood meaning of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th.

Why? Do you think such revelations will have the slightest effect on a single vote in the Senate?

If McCaskill and Blunt have any interest in my views, it matters. If my views don"t matter to them, then that affects whether I will vote for them.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Michael Bennet was already the kind of trash that needs to taken to the curb before this.

Thankfully, Democratic party leadership does not consider your input when making decisions.

[BuckeyeNut]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

You're seeing the forest for the trees. Yeah, it sucks he's here, but what exactly do you think happens if none of the Democrats show up? Get angry when Manchin votes to confirm, don't be mad at Franken for going into work.

[Green Line]

The government needs to govern.  It's not all about politics.

[Bojack Horseman]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

You're seeing the forest for the trees. Yeah, it sucks he's here, but what exactly do you think happens if none of the Democrats show up? Get angry when Manchin votes to confirm, don't be mad at Franken for going into work.

The whole point is to give absolutely no signs of legitimacy to this so-called president and his nominations. He is the definition of illegitimate and he should be treated as such.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

The government needs to govern.  It's not all about politics.

Republicans spent 8 years not governing.

[Green Line]

The government needs to govern.  It's not all about politics.

Republicans spent 8 years not governing.

Whats your point.

[ApatheticAustrian]

purging if you are in the minority is just......demint-tish stupid.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I cannot believe we're actually going to give him the time of day. There should be precisely zero Democrats at these hearings and zero Democratic votes in favor of him. Never thought I'd support the #WeWillReplaceYou movement, but it's time to start purging pro-Trump Democrats.

You're seeing the forest for the trees. Yeah, it sucks he's here, but what exactly do you think happens if none of the Democrats show up? Get angry when Manchin votes to confirm, don't be mad at Franken for going into work.

The whole point is to give absolutely no signs of legitimacy to this so-called president and his nominations. He is the definition of illegitimate and he should be treated as such.

Or you could just...you know...go through the pretense of a fair hearing so that you can present yourself as a grown-up and still filibuster Gorsuch anyway  We can just do what McCaskill did and basically say any nominee is entitled to a hearing and a vote in theory, but a vote should only be permitted if Gorsuch's confirmation requires the support of 60+ Senators.  In other words, we can still filibuster him indefinitely without dropping any pretense of giving a fair hearing.  Who cares if Gorsuch has a hearing as long as the Democrats filibuster him indefinitely?

I also have no problem with Manchin, Donnelly, Heidkemp, or Tester voting to confirm Gorsuch (they are going to be facing tough races in conservative states) provided that 41 Democratic Senators do vote to filibuster Gorsuch.  The people who I'd be angry with are folks like Chris Coons, Angus King, and Mark Warner; they have no excuse.  Of course even then, I don't really care if they defect on this vote as long as we have 41 votes in support of a filibuster.