Senate Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Gorsuch To Begin March 20
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch on March 20.
That's the word from Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who made the announcement Thursday after consulting with the panel's top Democrat, Dianne Feinstein.
Grassley says he expects the hearings to last three to four days. The first day will have opening statements by committee members and the federal judge tapped for the high court vacancy. Questioning of Gorsuch will begin March 21.
Gorsuch has been paying courtesy calls on senators for the past few weeks.
Trump had a list of 21 possible choices, which he made public during the presidential campaign. Among the finalists were Gorsuch, who serves on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.
"I promised to select someone who respects our laws and is representative of our constitution and loves our constitution," Trump said.
The vacancy happened more than a year ago when Justice Antonin Scalia died. Republicans refused to consider former President Barack Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, insisting the voters should have a say.
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