Breitbart, “Pro-Life Leaders on Judge Gorsuch’s Nomination
- Donald Trump ‘A Man of His Word”, 31 Jan 2017:
National pro-life leaders are applauding President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Judge Neil Gorsuch of the Tenth Circuit, to take the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
“We want to express our thanks to President Trump for nominating a man of such stellar quality as Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court,” said Operation Rescue president Troy Newman. “One of the reasons I endorsed Trump for president was because of the strong promises he made to pro-life leaders. Now, after less than two weeks in office, he is keeping those promises, and we are very encouraged. He has proved himself to be a man of his word.”
“The nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court is a tremendous victory for religious freedom and, indeed, for the entire nation,” said Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life. “His reasoned opinions in decisions upholding the rights of groups who — like Priests for Life — have challenged the Obama administration’s HHS mandate show that he respects the rights of Americans of all beliefs. His statements in favor of upholding the Constitution are totally in line with those of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. President Trump has made an excellent choice.”
Regarding the nomination of Gorsuch, Leonard A. Leo, Trump’s Supreme Court Advisor, said the announcement fulfilled the promise the president made to the American people.
“Judge Gorsuch possesses keen intellect, independence of judgment, integrity, courage, and a sense of fairness that is grounded in the Constitution and laws as they are written,” Leo said in a statement. “This is what the President very much wanted in a nominee.”
“Under our Constitution, power ultimately rests with the people,” he added. “This ideal is at the core of Justice Scalia’s legacy. As we heard from President Trump’s inauguration speech, it is at the core of the President’s agenda, and it’s very much at the core of what Neil Gorsuch’s record is as a jurist.”
Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), a member of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, reacted to Gorsuch’s nomination in a statement:
I applaud President Trump for nominating a fair-minded Constitutionalist like Judge Gorsuch to serve on our highest court. With this selection, President Trump has chosen a respected jurist who will uphold both the spirit and the letter of our law. I am especially encouraged by Judge Gorsuch’s opinions in the cases of Hobby Lobby vs. Sebelius and Little Sisters of the Poor vs. Burwell, which display a clear respect for religious freedom that has been missing in too many corners of Washington over the last eight years. He is uniquely qualified for this role, having already been confirmed without opposition to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals by the US Senate in 2006, and I know that he will be a worthy successor to the esteemed legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins attended the White House announcement. He said in a statement:
I was pleased to witness President Trump follow through on his promise and select a nominee from the list he presented during the campaign. The president has been very clear on the type of justices that he would appoint: textualists who will not issue rulings based on the shadows of the Constitution.
Judge Gorsuch’s record over the last 14 years, especially on religious liberty, gives Americans every reason to believe he will make a fine Supreme Court justice. His reputation as a judge with integrity and dedication to the Constitution should be an encouragement to all Americans.
Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, the nation’s largest pro-life youth organization, said:
We are thrilled with Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the US Supreme Court by President Trump, who is continuing to fulfill campaign promises at a breakneck speed. A strict Constitutionalist and firm supporter of religious freedom and liberties dictated by the Founding Fathers, Judge Gorsuch is an excellent replacement for the late Justice Scalia, and one who has the potential to leave a powerful legacy.
The Supreme Court was of great concern to voters this past November and the Senate should take swift action to confirm Judge Gorsuch to the high Court to ensure a full slate of Justices. The Senate unanimously confirmed Judge Gorsuch to the 10th US Circuit of Appeals and they should follow their previous example. We aren’t tired of winning yet.
Carl Anderson of the Knights of Columbus said in a statement:
We applaud the president’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. From his writings and his record it is clear that he will interpret the Constitution as it was written, including our first Amendment right to religious freedom, and the right to life of every person. Judge Gorsuch was confirmed without opposition to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2006, and has received a “unanimously well qualified” rating from the American Bar Association. It is hard to imagine a better, and more qualified, candidate.
Americans United for Life Acting president Clarke Forsythe said:
Neil Gorsuch’s nomination shows that President Trump values the legacy of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and is dedicated to ensuring that the Supreme Court is staffed by jurists who respect the Constitution, not by politicians who vote with their policy preferences. Justice Scalia understood that a judicial commitment to the original meaning of the Constitution and the intent of the Framers is necessary in order to preserve our representative government, and the record of Neil Gorsuch demonstrates a similar dedication to constitutional originalism.
Jenny Beth Martin, president of Tea Party Patriots, released the following statement on the judge’s nomination:
President Trump promised to nominate someone who is both exceptionally qualified and has a demonstrated record of interpreting the Constitution and our laws and by nominating Judge Gorsuch, he has kept his promises. Judge Gorsuch has a distinguished record that demonstrates he will be fair to all Americans, no matter their background or beliefs. Like Justice Scalia, he believes that judges should base their decisions on the actual text of the Constitution and our laws, not on personal policy preferences. During the campaign, President Trump took the unprecedented step of sharing a list of names from which he promised to choose a Supreme Court nominee. Exit polls showed that one in five voters named the Supreme Court as their top issue. President Trump has a clear mandate to choose our next Justice, and our network of grassroots activists will work very hard to ensure the Senate quickly moves to confirm Judge Gorsuch.
Tea Party Patriots says it plans to hold 1,000 house parties in 100 days to launch a grassroots effort in support of Gorsuch’s nomination.
