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Dems Lining Up to Block Trump's 'Stolen' Supreme Court Nominee

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President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court has ignited an intense battle with Democrats.

The stakes are high as the person who fills the seat left vacant by the late Justice Antonin Scalia will make decisions that will affect generations of Americans.

Some Democrats, who are upset over Trump's victory, have said they will fiercely fight nearly any nominee to fill what they consider the high court's "stolen seat." 

"This is a stolen seat being filled by an illegitimate and extreme nominee, and I will do everything in my power to stand up against this assault on the court," said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.

Last year, President Barack Obama had tapped U.S. Circuit Court Judge Merrick Garland after the death of Scalia, but Senate Republicans said they would not consider the nomination. 

They maintained voters should determine the outcome through the November election, and the American people chose Trump.

Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Charles Schumer declared he has "serious doubts" that Gorsuch is a part of what Democrats consider the legal mainstream.

Schumer said Gorsuch "hewed to an ideological approach to jurisprudence that makes me skeptical that he can be a strong, independent justice on the court."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., spoke out against Gorsuch and the president who nominated him.

"Every day, our new president finds more ways to demonstrate his hostility for our independent judiciary, our civil society, and the rule of law," she said. "Now more than ever, America needs Supreme Court justices with a proven record of standing up for the rights of all Americans – civil rights, women's rights, LGBT rights, and all other protections guaranteed by our laws."

"We don't need another justice who spends his time looking out for those with money and influence," she continued.

In a town hall with CNN, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also criticized Gorsuch, calling him "a very hostile appointment" and "a very bad decision, well outside the mainstream of American legal thought."

"Elections have ramifications, and here is a living, breathing example of it," Pelosi said. 

Conservatives believe that as well. Gorsuch, who currently serves on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, has the backing of pro-life and conservative groups.

"Judge Gorsuch is a remarkably qualified nominee with a conservative judicial philosophy and a commitment to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. "He is decidedly pro-life and understands what it means to protect the constitutional freedoms afforded to all Americans."

"I am especially encouraged by Judge Gorsuch's opinions in the cases of Hobby Lobby vs. Sebelius and Little Sisters of the Poor vs. Burwell, which display a clear respect for religious freedom that has been missing in too many corners of Washington over the last eight years," Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., said.

Democrats could attempt to filibuster Gorsuch's nomination. If that happens, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may take a unique step to help the nominee. 

Current rules require a supermajority of 60 votes to approve a Supreme Court nominee. Trump has encouraged McConnell to modify those rules to require a simple majority, making it possible for the party in power to avoid a filibuster by the minority party.

In the Senate, that change in the rules is called the "nuclear option."

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