PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine announced Tuesday that he will oppose President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
King, who caucuses with the Democrats, said he’s opposing Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation in part because the nominee refused to answer questions about his judicial philosophy, which King said was part of a “deliberate strategy” to leave senators in the dark.
“While at first coming across as sincere, personable and thoughtful, over time I found that his answers seemed, at best, increasingly evasive, and, at worst, simply not forthright,” he said.
The senator who went to Washington to try to end the bipartisan gridlock said that in this instance he will support Democratic efforts to prevent the nomination from moving forward.
“It seems to me that for major policy decisions, like a lifetime appointment, it is not unreasonable to require 60 votes in order to garner broader, more sustainable bipartisan support, which I think is in the interest of the nation,” he said.
Maine Republican Party Executive Director Jason Savage accused King of turning away from his independent status with the decision.
King was the last senator to announce his intentions, becoming the 44th lawmaker to say he would vote against the nominee and vote against moving ahead on the nomination.
Because Democrats have the ability to filibuster, Republicans are expected to unilaterally change the rules to ensure confirmation of Gorsuch later this week.
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