Republicans and Democrats had competing motives for bringing up religious freedom during last week's confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch — conservative lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee did so to praise Gorsuch, while those on the left looked for opportunities to trip him up.
Gorsuch, who serves on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, deftly handled both types of inquiries during his testimony, keeping his responses focused on the general objectives of laws designed to protect religious liberty. He defended his efforts to uphold the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, while admitting that cases related to these protections are often difficult to resolve.
Read Full Article »