- The Washington Times - Thursday, February 9, 2017

Sen. Ben Sasse, Nebraska Republican, said Thursday that Judge Neil Gorsuch relayed to him during a private meeting that he was dismayed about President Trump’s recently attacking a judge who temporarily halted the president’s immigration executive order.

“This is a guy who kind of welled up with some energy and he said any attack on any, I think his term to me was brothers or sisters of the robe, is an attack on all judges and he believes in an independent judiciary,” Mr. Sasse said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“And I think what I saw in that guy as he got some energy about it was this isn’t about somebody who’s just been nominated to the Supreme Court,” he said. “This is a guy, if he were on traffic court in Colorado or in Nebraska would have the same view.”

“He understands why we have three branches, and frankly, it seems to me that that’s a good reason why his nomination shouldn’t be politicized,” Mr. Sasse said.

Judge Gorsuch is Mr. Trump’s nominee to fill the current vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court.

After Mr. Trump’s immigration order was halted by Judge James Robart last week, Mr. Trump had tweeted: “The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, relayed similar comments he says Judge Gorsuch made to him in a private meeting that were confirmed by a spokesman for the judge.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump slammed Mr. Blumenthal for lying about his military service record and questioned whether he was misrepresenting what the judge said to him.

• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.

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