Gorsuch Will be the 'Type of Justice Our Founders Envisioned'

This is my statement on the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States. – J.D.

“As a fellow Coloradan, I am thrilled that our very own Judge Neil Gorsuch, from the 10^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was confirmed today by a vote in the U.S. Senate. Judge Gorsuch now becomes ‘Justice’ Gorsuch upon taking the oath of office – and he will be the type of justice our Founders envisioned.

“Justice Gorsuch will also be filling big shoes, those left behind by the untimely death of Justice Antonin Scalia more than a year ago.

“Justice Scalia was a legal giant who impacted the law for generations to come with his emphasis on sticking to the text and original understanding of the Constitution or laws he was being asked to interpret. Scalia influenced countless existing and future lawyers and judges with his razor-sharp mind, well-crafted opinions, his rapier-like wit and piercing questions at oral arguments. Scalia’s dissents are legend among the legal profession.

“Justice Gorsuch’s exemplary record on the federal bench reveals a man and a judge cut from the same mold as Justice Scalia, but with his own distinct style.

“Like Scalia, Gorsuch has reverence for the rule of law; his attention to the text and original understanding of the law he is interpreting; and his clear and accessible writing style. I look forward to seeing how Gorsuch’s personal style – which has been called ‘fair-minded, dedicated, smart and unfailingly polite’ by members of the Supreme Court bar – will play out in our nation’s highest court.

“As his confirmation proceedings revealed, he was revered by his law clerks for his personal and judicial skills, praised by his fellow judges, and recommended for the Supreme Court by the American Bar Association, which gave Gorsuch its highest possible rating after conducting an extensive review process.

“Amid the celebration over Justice Gorsuch’s confirmation, I can’t help but take note of and recognize the rancor between the major political parties with each successive Supreme Court nomination.

“We as a nation and those who represent us in Congress and in state legislatures across the country should be above the politics of personal destruction that so often mark each new nominee or piece of legislation. The need for a return to civility in our public discourse could not be more apparent. As we pray for Justice Gorsuch and the rest of the justices to perform their duties with wisdom, please remember to pray for one another, as well.

“So, I congratulate Justice Gorsuch on his Senate confirmation vote, and we thank him for the years of public service he has already performed on behalf of the country, as well as the years of service ahead of him as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

“The announcement of the marshal of the Supreme Court before every session of the justices should be our prayer today: ‘God save the United States and this Honorable Court.’”

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