Gorsuch refuses Whitehouse's request to ask shadowy backers to reveal themselves

[milestogo]

Source: The Hill

Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday pointedly refused Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s (D-R.I.) request that he publicly ask conservative donors funding a $10 million advertising campaign run by the conservative Judicial Crisis Network to identify themselves.

Though he did not name Judicial Crisis Network by name, Whitehouse asked why the group spent at least $7 million to keep President Obama's nominee Merrick Garland from getting a confirmation hearing and is now spending $10 million to get Gorsuch confirmed. “Ask them,” Gorsuch said. “I can’t, because I don’t know who they are,” Whitehouse replied.

Whitehouse asked that Gorsuch, as a “matter of courtesy to the process,” ask his anonymous backers to reveal themselves so the public could know what interests favor his confirmation. “You could ask right now as a matter of courtesy, as a matter of respect for the process that anybody funding this should declare themselves right now so we can evaluate who is behind this effort,” Whitehouse said.

Gorsuch declined to take the bait. “It would be a politics question and I’m not, with all respect senator, going to get involved in politics,” he said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/325027-gorsuch-refuses-whitehouses-request-to-ask-shadowy-backers-to-reveal

[LisaM]

1. Well, we should know who funded it.

It's one of the most unseemly things of an unseemly election season. Thanks, George Bush, John Roberts, and Citizens United!!!

[sharedvalues]

2. $17M of dark GOP money

This is why you should laugh at anyone who brings up Soros.
Gorsuch's money came from the ultra wealthy and from corporations. Because those two groups know Gorsuch will vote their way.

[JHan]

6. that's all that needs be said.

I laugh when people bring up Soros who is apparently God, and all the other corporatist smears, this is what kills us. Dark Money - a feature of Conservative politics.

we also have conservatives to thank for citizens united.

[Mr. Evil]

24. Probably more laundry from Cyprus.

[paleotn]

3. "Im not, with all respect senator, going to get involved in politics

SNORT! Riiiiiiiight.

[BadgerMom]

25. My thought

Because having partisan backers spend millions on commercials ISN'T politics. Thank you, Judge Gorsuch, for proving you're either a liar or a fool.

[Thomas Hurt]

4. He was involved in politics

when he accepted a nomination that was thieved by the GOP.

Claiming he is apolitical is a scam. A truly apolitical candidate wouldn't have touched this tainted SCOTUS position with a ten foot pole.

[stuffmatters]

31. This

[unblock]

5. "it would be politics... i'm not... involved in politics" this is so stupid as to be disqualifying.

first, it's not politics, it's ethics. it may also be legal transparency, not sure about that, e.g., to clarify if there are foreign sources involved.

second, while a job on the high court is not a "political office", seeking that job is nevertheless diving into the deep end of politics. so he's already heavily involved in politics.

[gordianot]

7. Wasn't it Trump's idea to hold off on the nomination to the Supreme Court?

Just how political is that? Media buys for a Supreme Court slot so very strange.

[bronxiteforever]

8. Gorsuch is the bastard offspring of citizens united. Dark money brings dark deeds

[Achilleaze]

9. I bet a bowl of borsht it's The Russians

since they have their greazy paws all over the republican cabal

[Angry Dragon]

10. it seems he lacks any moral fibre

[rockfordfile]

11. yes he does lack a moral fiber. He clearly has a lack of character.

[ymetca]

12. Evangelical grifters like Pat Robertson and Franklin Graham think he's all that

Which is enough for me to know Gorsuch is a duplicitous scoundrel.

But he'll be confirmed anyway, as there is nothing ultimately the Dems can do.

[monmouth4]

13. Perhaps the Kochs or Mercers..nt

[pangaia]

14. With NO due respect !

"“It would be a politics question and I’m not, with all respect senator, going to get involved in politics,” he said."

Oh, yes you are, you slimy little liar.... That is EXACTLY why you were nominated.

[Fast Walker 52]

15. He needs to be filibustered, period

[DonCoquixote]

16. this is why

any attempts to normalize course it should be treated as nonsense. Yes, Congress will go ahead and be able to ram him through, thanks in no small part to our resident back stabbers and quislings who call themselves Democrat but are anything but. However, even if we had a signed affidavit from God that there is no way this man will be denied a Supreme Court seat, it is our duty to keep opposing him. Why is this? Because the more damage we do, and the more we force the GOP to exert themselves, the stronger we will be in the long run. Even if all we do is force these people to drag all their dirty deeds to the light, it will pay off once eventually their luck runs out. And their luck won't start running out until we actually make these people exert themselves.

[Panich52]

17. He's actually answered very few questions. He's been epitome

of evasive.

[Marthe48]

18. Unqualified

and loves himself more than his country

[SticksnStones]

28. Exactly!

He's just so damn proud of himself ~

[ananda]

19. Really? Not political?

This is as political as it gets; and Gorsuch is involved
up to his shitty neck.

[KewlKat]

20. Judicial Crisis Network

The Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) (founded in 2005 as the Judicial Confirmation Network) is an American conservative political campaign organization based in the United States. As of 2014 it was run by Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for supreme court justice Clarence Thomas.[1] The organization describes itself as "dedicated to strengthening liberty and justice in America."[2]

Background

The organization was founded in 2005 to promote the judicial appointees of then president George W. Bush.[3] Fundraiser and lawyer Ann Corkery, along with California real estate magnate Robin Arkley II, were key to the beginning of the organization.[4]

Funding

The leading funder of JCN is the Wellspring Committee, which is directed by Ann Corkery.[3] Wellspring gave close to $7 million to JCN in 2014.[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_Crisis_Network


Wellspring was founded in 2008 by none other than the infamous Charles and David Koch, together with their political Svengali, Richard Fink. According to Kenneth Vogel, author of the book Big Money: 2.5 Billion Dollars, One Suspicious Vehicle, and a Pimp, Wellspring raised $10 million from attendees at the Kochs’ donor seminars, right after it was founded.

[barbtries]

21. okay he lied under oath right there

he's all politics.

this should not even be happening. do the democrats have a way to stop it? why didn't they stop the hearing? aargh we're so screwed.

[Scruffy1]

32. Exactly.

He comes from a long line of big time Republicans. His mother was part of Reagan cabinet. I was born in the morning, but not yesterday morning. He knows where the money is and who supports him. Where I come from we have a name for that:perjuror.

[GeorgeGist]

22. Methinks Gorsuch is dark and dirty.

IOW a Fascist.

[Skittles]

23. he's not going to get involved in politics?

YET HE TAKES MERRICK GARLAND'S SPOT BASED ON POLITICAL BULLSHIT

FUCK YOU GORSUCH - you are as ILLEGITIMATE AS TRUMP

[SticksnStones]

26. In what world is a Supreme Court nomination not political?

Glib and snarky...Scalia 2.0

[iluvtennis]

27. Gorsuch is what we called a "Smooth Operator" back in the day. He'll say anything

[SunSeeker]

29. K & R for exposure.

[delisen]

30. I listen instead of watching. Hear authoritarian in his voice.

I only heard a few soundbites but I think he is a very bad choice for the country


1."How we do things in the west" Is he identifying with one section of the country. When I heard it, it sounded divisive and made me think that he is sympathetic to the movement to give national park lands to the western states in which they are located.

2. No man is above the law. It's 2017 . I think "person" is a choice of words that would have been more appropriate

3. The stereotypical joke about the New Yorker way of fishing.

4. God, God , God.........NFL....The naming of male sports heroes....

5. An arrogant tone. Another John Galt republican?

6. "I would have walked out the door". sounded like a bs answer designed to convince of his righteousness.

I got the impression of a self righteous, softly arrogant prejudiced person with unacknowledged prejudices with little flexibility

Hope I am wrong but I think he is a bad choice.

[riversedge]

33. I was listening to him today. Makes himself out to be the kind of guy you would have a beer

with! I do not trust him.