WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) released the following statement on the appointment of Judge Neil Gorsuch by President Trump to serve on the Supreme Court, and his intention to oppose cloture on this nomination when a vote is scheduled on the floor.

“Over one year ago, Judge Merrick Garland was nominated to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Today that seat – what should be Judge Garland’s seat – remains vacant. The unprecedented obstruction my Republican colleagues in the Senate mounted last year against Judge Garland was a shameful chapter for the United States Senate and our Constitution. Judge Garland, a consensus builder and one of the most qualified and respected judges in the country, waited 293 days for a hearing and a vote that ultimately never came. A good man was treated terribly.

“Meanwhile, Judge Neil Gorsuch has met with Democrats and Republicans in large numbers. A lengthy hearing covering several days was held 48 days after his nomination. Now, Republicans are prepared to speedily bring his nomination to the floor, something they were not prepared to do when they had almost an entire year to consider Judge Garland’s nomination. Ultimately, I believe that moving forward with Judge Gorsuch’s nomination will send a signal that it’s acceptable to put partisan politics over fidelity to our Constitution. It is not. While I do not believe that two wrongs make a right, I believe this may be our only opportunity to right a historic wrong. Therefore, I am left with no other choice but to oppose Judge Gorsuch’s nomination until we find agreement on moving Judge Garland’s nomination forward at the same time.”

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