Supreme Court

Justice Gorsuch On The Campaign Trail

Gorsuch and McConnell hit the road to make political appearances.

By Kathryn Rubino on September 27, 2017

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Given the way Justice Neil Gorsuch ascended to the Supreme Court, his tenure there was always going to be controversial, at least on some level. It was a bald-faced political gamble that kept Merrick Garland out of that seat, and for many liberals, every 5-4 decision will continue to echo the injustice of the “stolen seat.”

Against this partisan backdrop, Justice Gorsuch could have downplayed any overt political statements, low-key establish his Supreme Court style, and let his decisions speak for themselves. That’s not what he’s decided to do.

Last week, the newest Supreme Court justice made a series of political stops with none other than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. As reported by Law Newz, Jessica Mason Pieklo, a legal analyst and adjunct law professor at Hamline University School of Law, characterized them as “campaigning.”

The first event was a speech by Justice Gorsuch at the University of Louisville, in which he touted the importance of a conservative role for the judiciary. McConnell had the honor of introducing the justice saying, “I could not have been happier [when he was nominated]. I knew he’d be great for our country.” The pair also made a stop at an event at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

The AP story called the tour a “home turf victory lap for McConnell,” who engineered the machinations that stole the SCOTUS seat from Garland. Pieklo is happy to call out the appearance of impropriety as Gorsuch has taken his new role in an overtly political direction.

If you’re a liberal, Gorsuch “glad-handing” for the GOP probably only registers about a 3 on the outrage meter. After all, these are contentious times and one must reserve the indignation for all the outrageous things the president decides to tweet about. But, you don’t have to be skilled at reading tea leaves to see this as a bad omen for the likely tenor of Justice Gorsuch’s jurisprudence.

headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).