President Trump announced Friday that his nominee to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, will be sworn into office in two ceremonies on Monday, as he congratulated him on his confirmation by the Senate.
Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath of office to the new justice in a private ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Supreme Court, followed by Justice Anthony Kennedy administering the second oath in a public ceremony at the White House at 11 a.m. Gorsuch was a clerk for Kennedy in the 1990s.
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“It is a great honor to announce the historic confirmation of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch as associate justice to the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation process was one of the most transparent and accessible in history, and his judicial temperament, exceptional intellect, unparalleled integrity, and record of independence makes him the perfect choice to serve on the nation’s highest court,” Trump’s statement said.
“As a deep believer in the rule of law, Judge Gorsuch will serve the American people with distinction as he continues to faithfully and vigorously defend our Constitution.”
Gorsuch was confirmed 54-45 by the Senate on Friday after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invoked the “nuclear option” to kill the filibuster for Supreme Court nominations on Thursday. That paved the way for Gorsuch to be approved with 51 votes instead of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster. McConnell took the action after Senate Democrats mounted a successful partisan filibuster of Gorsuch on Thursday, irate that Republicans last year blocked any hearings on former President Barack Obama’s choice for the high court seat, Judge Merrick Garland. The seat opened after the unexpected death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016.
Trump in his statement also thanked Scalia and his wife, Maureen, for “their immeasurable service to this country.”
“Justice Scalia’s legacy of fidelity to our laws and our Constitution will never be forgotten,” Trump said.
