Live blog of confirmation hearing | March 22, 2017
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
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Cornyn-- I just wanted to use the opportunity to say when people disagree with SCOTUS, it's easy to jump on and criticize, nobody likes to lose
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Cornyn-- judges are by and large patriots performing a public service
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Cornyn-- We've made great strides in minority voting rights
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Blumenthal-- who helped you prepare for the hearing?
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Gorsuch-- first, my wife. She is my rock. I also have to thank Ayotte, my sherpa, who I didn't know until the day of my nomination, which was the day of my father's death, and he smiled on me for bringing me Sen. Ayotte. Mary Elizabeth in the White House, as well as McGinnly
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Gorsuch-- I've leaned on my friends, former clerks, White House
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Blumenthal-- no right is absolute under the Constitution, is that correct?
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Gorsuch-- there are always tensions in the law that we mediate.
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Blumenthal-- I want to talk in that context the 2nd amendment and Heller. You know that Connecticut experienced a tragedy at Sandy Hook.
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Blumenthal-- I mention the balance of rights because Scalia mentioned it in Heller, not a right to keep and carry any weapon. That means the 2nd amendment is not absolute. Do you agree?
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Gorsuch-- in Heller they held that only guns in common use for self-defense with reasonable regulations
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Blumenthal-- I ask about your preparation because I think you've been very adroit in answering my questions. I remain troubled because you have been less forthcoming, direct and specific, on whether you agree with the results in some cases.
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Blumenthal-- I have felt that you had a responsibility to be more forthcoming than judges nominated in the past. You were clear in your answer on Brown that it was a correct application of the law, but you did not give answers on reproductive and gay rights precedents on whether they were correctly decided
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Blumenthal-- I am troubled because these doubts affect real lives. Gay and lesbian Americans have to wonder if gay marriage would be overturn. Millions of women who have apprehensions about Roe and whether you would vote to overturn it
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Blumenthal says he will review his own judgment until he can review written responses, yields
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Graham up-- I only have one request, that I never hear about the fish case again, because if I do we will defund the court (laughs)
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Graham-- Sotomayor and Kagan have served honorably, but they have not "grown" the way I would like them to
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Graham-- as to Garland, I don't think anything happened here on our watch that is anything unusual here, discusses Biden's comments on the matter
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Graham-- Trump showed his cards by giving the list, he kept his word. I can't think of anybody I would have chosen over you
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Graham-- if I would have won, I would have chosen you too
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Graham-- asks about Obergefell, is it possible three people could fall in love and want to marry? Are there places in the world where polygamy is the practice?
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Graham-- If there is ever a case before you that challenges Griswold, I'm glad you will listen to both sides
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Graham-- I'm glad you're willing to listen to those of us on this side of the issue (abortion rights)
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Graham-- regarding gay marriage, the court has ruled, and I dont know if the court will ever decide that 3 people can get married, but I hope that if that ever does come, I hope judges do what you've said you will do and listen to both sides
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Graham on the Roberts Court-- made up of some pretty incredible people, if you end up on that court, then Trump did a good job
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Graham-- if this man doesn't get 60 votes, then no Republican pick could
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Hirono-- this isn't the real endurance test, the real endurance test are the struggles that everyday Americans go through
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Hirono brought back up frozen trucker case, Hobby Lobby
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Do we know when today's confirmation hearing will end, and whether it will continue tomorrow?
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Hirono-- Called difference between Trump's comments on federal judiciary and what the Dem senators are doing here "apples and oranges"
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Hirono---was a speech Sotomayor gave a fair basis on which to judge her nomination?