Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is not likely to vote to overturn the historic ruling of Roe v. Wade, Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday.
Collins, the Maine Republican who is likely to be a swing vote in confirming the upcoming Supreme Court nomination from President Trump, told CNN’s Jake Tapper about a conversation she’d had with Justice Gorsuch during which he spelled out his position on judicial precedent.
[Opinion: Imagining how overturning Roe v. Wade would transform US politics]
“I had a very long discussion with Justice Gorsuch in my office and he pointed out to me that he is the co-author of a whole book on precedent,” Collins said. “So someone who devotes that much time to writing a book on precedent, I think, understands how important a principle that is in our judicial system.”
During his confirmation hearings in March, Gorsuch told lawmakers that President Trump had not asked him his position on abortion cases during the confirmation process. Gorsuch even said he would have “walked out the door” if Trump had done so in testimony last year.
“There are many judges who have said to me if you are not unhappy with a few of your decisions, then you are not a good judge,” Collins said.
