Daily Herald - Judge Gorsuch -- Utah's nominee for the Supreme Court

Op-Ed

By Sen. Orrin Hatch

In the 2016 election, Utahns not only cast their vote for president; they also voiced their will concerning the future of the Supreme Court.

Indeed, the question over who would fill the late Justice Scalia's seat was a deciding factor for many at the ballot box. Voters had a stark choice between Hillary Clinton, who sought to tip the balance of the court in a decidedly liberal direction, and Donald Trump, who promised to nominate a judge with impeccable credentials and an unquestionable commitment to the Constitution.

The American people, including 102,182 Utah County voters, made their voices heard by electing Trump to the presidency.

The president has since made true on his campaign promises by nominating Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Utahns should take heart knowing that Judge Gorsuch is the right kind of justice for America. He will honor the legacy of the late Justice Scalia in his fidelity to freedom and his dedication to the rule of law.

Judge Gorsuch is exceptionally qualified to serve, which is why I have long sung his praises. In fact, prior to Gorsuch's nomination, I met with President Trump in the Oval Office to discuss, among other things, potential nominees to the Supreme Court.

At one point in our conversation, the president asked for my thoughts on Judge Gorsuch. Knowing of Judge Gorsuch's exceptional qualifications and his sterling record on the federal bench, I recommended him to the president in the strongest possible terms.

The very next week, I was humbled to see that the president took my advice into account when he nominated Judge Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. If Judge Gorsuch is confirmed, Utahns can rest assured that our most fundamental freedoms, including religious liberty and the rights of the unborn, will continue to take precedence in our nation's highest court.

Judge Gorsuch is indisputably qualified to serve on the Supreme Court, but his judicial philosophy is what truly sets him apart. Judge Gorsuch exercises restraint on the federal bench by making his decisions based on the law and the Constitution, not on his own policy preferences or personal feelings. Perhaps most importantly, Judge Gorsuch pays deference to the people's will and to their elected representatives by saying what the law is -- not what he thinks it should be.

He is committed to upholding the separation of powers by respecting the distinct roles of each branch of government. He also understands that judges should refrain from acting as legislators and that their constitutional duty is merely to interpret the law -- not to change the law's meaning or bend it to their will.

President Trump made an inspired choice in Judge Gorsuch -- so, too, did Utah's voters. Indeed, their part in securing Judge Gorsuch's nomination should not go overlooked. When Mr. Trump released his short list of potential nominees last spring, he made clear that the November ballot would not merely be an election for president; it would also be a referendum on the future of the Supreme Court. Recognizing that a vote for Trump was also a vote to fill the judiciary with principled jurists like Neil Gorsuch, thousands of Utahns pulled the lever for the Republican nominee.

More than any Supreme Court nominee in recent history, President Trump's selection of Judge Gorsuch reflects the will of America's voters. In a very real sense, Judge Gorsuch is the people's nominee, and given his record and qualifications, we have every reason to believe he will serve the people well.

I sincerely hope that my colleagues in the Senate will respect the results of this election and the wishes of the American electorate by acting swiftly to confirm Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

Source