Gorsuch echoes earlier remarks, calls Trump's criticism of judiciary 'disheartening'

Sarah D. | 7:38 PM on March 21, 2017

I like this Gorsuch guy. Seems bright.

— Grant Holloway (@HollowayGrant) March 21, 2017

Even before he won the presidential election, Donald Trump took a lot of heat for his vocal criticism of federal judges who didn’t rule the way he wanted. This afternoon, during his SCOTUS confirmation hearing, Judge Neil Gorsuch was asked to address that by Sen. Richard Blumenthal — and he rose to the occasion with a careful, thoughtful response:

https://twitter.com/SteveKopack/status/844324242745413633

Gorsuch said much more than that:

“Judges have to be tough,” Gorsuch said. “We get called lots of names all over the place. We have to accept criticism with some humility. It makes us better. I take it from my teenage daughters, I take it from litigants.”

Gorsuch said he found any attack on the integrity, honesty or motives of a federal judge “disheartening” and “demoralizing.” Blumenthal pressed Gorsuch on whether the judge’s remarks applied to Trump, to which Gorsuch responded, “Anyone is anyone.”

We recommend listening to the full exchange.

Gorsuch made similar comments last month during a meeting with Blumenthal. It’s notable that he hasn’t changed his tune now that the confirmation process is fully underway.