President Trump insisted Thursday that a Democratic senator “misrepresented” comments by Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch, who said the president’s criticism of the federal judiciary was “disheartening.”
“His comments were misrepresented and what you should do is ask Sen. [Richard] Blumenthal about his Vietnam record which didn’t exist,” Mr. Trump told reporters during a White House meeting with a bipartisan group of senators on the nomination.
Mr. Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, told reporters Wednesday after a private meeting with Judge Gorsuch that the nominee had said Mr. Trump’s criticisms of federal judges were “disheartening” and “demoralizing.” A representative of Judge Gorsuch confirmed the nominee’s comments.
But the White House said Judge Gorsuch was speaking about any attack in general on the judiciary, not specifically about the president’s criticisms of judges ruling against his extreme vetting proposal for migrants.
“The judge was very clear that he was not commenting on any specific matter,” said White House press secretary Sean Spicer. “There’s a big difference between commenting on the specific comments that have been made in the [president’s] tweet, and his general philosophy about the judiciary and his respect for his fellow judges.”
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, responded through a spokesman that the White House’s explanation shows that the nominee wouldn’t be independent on the high court.
“Sean Spicer just made it crystal-clear that Judge Gorsuch has refused to condemn President Trump’s attacks on the judiciary,” said Schumer spokesman Matt House. “That makes an already-weak response even weaker, and is further proof that the judge has not demonstrated the kind of independence necessary to be a check on this administration.”
The president has been critical of a federal judge who ruled against his extreme vetting order, and has complained that too many judges act out of political motives.
Mr. Trump continued to back Judge Gorsuch in the meeting, saying he has “impeccable academic and legal credentials.”
“He will apply the law as written,” Mr. Trump told the senators. “He’s a mainstream judge very much mainstream and I urge you all to confirm him.”
He thanked Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia “for having the courage to vote for somebody who’s really very outstanding.”
“A lot of people are liking him very much on the other side,” Mr. Trump said, adding that Democratic friends of his have said that they like him but may not vote for him for political reasons.
The president said politicization of Supreme Court nominations is “one of the reasons why our country is in stagnation in so many different forms.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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