Sen. Richard Blumenthal said President Trump’s attempt to cast doubt on Judge Neil Gorsuch’s criticism of Trump in a private meeting is wrong, and he’s standing by his statement that Gorsuch finds Trump’s criticism of judges “demoralizing.”
Speaking on CNN, Blumenthal said Gorsuch’s own spokesperson confirmed his version of events.
“There’s no question that Judge Gorsuch said to me that he found these attacks on the judiciary to be disheartening and demoralizing,” Blumenthal said. “He made that statement to me, his spokesperson confirmed it, in fact he has made that same statement to many of my colleagues.”
Trump tweeted earlier on Thursday that Blumenthal misrepresented Gorsuch’s remarks and pointed to Blumenthal’s past statements that he served in Vietnam, when he had not, as a reason not to trust him. Trump was apparently watching the interview because he took issue with CNN anchor Chris Cuomo not asking Blumenthal about his Vietnam lie.
“Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave ‘service’ in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!” Trump tweeted.
Chris Cuomo, in his interview with Sen. Blumenthal, never asked him about his long-term lie about his brave “service” in Vietnam. FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017
The Democratic Connecticut senator declined to answer Trump’s tweets about him on Thursday, but urged Gorsuch to go public with his criticism of Trump.
“He needs to make that statement publicly,” he said. “We’re careening literally toward a constitutional crisis, and he’s been nominated by a president who has repeatedly criticized the judiciary.”
