Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who earlier this year said she was "proud" to attend President Donald Trump's inauguration, has announced she will join fellow Democrats in trying to block Neil Gorsuch, the commander in chief's pick for U.S. Supreme Court.
"When Judge Gorsuch was nominated, I shared my concerns with his predilection for putting corporate profits ahead of people time and again, as well as with his troubling rulings on disability rights, civil rights, reproductive rights and other issues," Duckworth of Illinois said in a statement.
"Judge Gorsuch had several opportunities to explain himself, his past positions and his judicial philosophy, but he did not. Earning a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court requires much more than a genial demeanor and an ability to artfully dodge even the most pointed of questions."
Duckworth, a combat veteran of the Iraq war elected to the Senate in 2016, said that in Gorsuch's four days of confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, he "did not show any ability to alleviate my concerns."
"I cannot vote to confirm him. Despite the President and Republican leadership's efforts to rush a process they were all too happy to see halted just a few months ago, I take seriously my constitutional responsibility as a United States Senator to offer the President my informed consent.
"Unfortunately, Judge Gorsuch has not made the effort to meet with me in person to answer the serious questions I have about his record and he in fact canceled a meeting we had previously scheduled. I refuse to vote to end debate on a nominee who refuses to provide any answers to my questions."
Duckworth's decision came as two other Democrats revealed they would vote to confirm Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, flying in the face of threats by party leaders to filibuster the vote on Monday.
Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia said they would join Republicans in backing the appellate court judge."
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