Donald Trump made one of the most consequential decisions in his young Presidency.
Many were wondering who he would pick as his Supreme Court nominee.
When he made his selection, Trey Gowdy stepped forward with some strongly worded comments.
Gowdy praised Trump’s selection.
He tweeted two statements applauding Judge Neil Gorsuch’s respect for the Constitution, adherence to the rule of law, and commitment to Justice Scalia’s originalist judicial philosophy.
Judge Neil Gorsuch is an ideal choice. Full statement → pic.twitter.com/mYI9sz8Z2a
— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 1, 2017
Judge Gorsuch's respect for the Constitution, commitment to the rule of law, and devotion to branch integrity will serve our nation well.
— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 1, 2017
Justice Scalia believed judges should follow the original intent of the Founding Fathers when deciding cases.
They shouldn’t interpret the Constitution as a “living document” that evolves with the times.
The words mean what the words mean.
For his adherence to principle and flair for the dramatic when writing his opinions, Scalia was revered as one of the greatest Justices in Supreme Court history.
Trump promised he would appoint a Justice in the mold of Scalia, and his decision was the first big test to see if he would live up to his campaign promises.
And many conservatives – as evidenced by Gowdy’s tweets – believe Trump passed with flying colors.
Many conservative activists were looking to Gowdy for confirmation that Trump had made the right selection.
Afterall, the former prosecutor had been elected as part of the Tea Party wave in 2010 when he defeated moderate incumbent, Bob Inglis, in a primary challenge.
And in Congress, Gowdy chaired the Benghazi Select Committee on Intelligence which had uncovered Hillary Clinton’s illegal private email server.
With those qualifications, Gowdy’s endorsement of Neil Gorsuch sent a strong signal that Trump had followed through on his promise to conservatives for Supreme Court nominations.
Conservatives had been burned in the past by Republican presidents who had tried to slip “stealth” nominees like Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, and John Roberts through the confirmation process.
The grassroots were promised that despite the nominees’ thin records, they could be counted on.
Unfortunately these judges ended up selling out conservatives on key cases involving abortion, homosexual marriage, and Obamacare.
But it looks like conservatives have no such worries with Judge Neil Gorsuch.
