The Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein has asked for more information from Judge Neil Gorsuch before the panel considers his Supreme Court nomination, The Washington Times reported on Wednesday.
Although Gorsuch, who is expected to appear before the committee for his confirmation hearing on March 20, submitted his standard questionnaire last month, some have said his time as principal deputy associate attorney general at the Justice Department deserves more scrutiny.
Feinstein asked if during his time there he played a role on 10 high-profile cases, including Guantanamo Bay detainees, American torture policy, partial birth abortion and warrantless wiretapping.
Feinstein met with Gorsuch last month and called him impressive, describing him as "a very caring person and he's obviously legally very smart."
However, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Feinstein had signaled that she is likely to lead Democratic resistance to Gorsuch and had promised a thorough vetting that could help solidify unity among members of her party on the issue.
Feinstein is among those Democrats who say the seat Gorsuch was chosen to fill was "stolen" by Senate Republicans, who refused to even hold a hearing after President Barack Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland last March.
"To see the way he was treated, with almost a year to consider his nomination, was just appalling," said Feinstein, who recommended Garland to Obama. "The humiliation that he went through. Asking people just to meet with him and getting turned down.
"Asking just to have a hearing and getting turned down. Bringing volumes, literally box after box after box of records, putting it all together, walking these halls day and night, and getting the back of the Republican hand."
The senator emphasized that "many of us haven't recovered from that. So I think the appropriate thing is to take our time considering this nominee. The court's not going to fall apart. It's going to be just fine."
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