Justice Neil Gorsuch?
* Today marks the first day of Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Will there any big surprises unveiled about him during the hearings? At this point, the only surprise is that anyone still expects there will be a surprise about the “[d]apper, folksy” judge. The bigger surprise will be whether Senate Republicans will invoke the nuclear option thanks to a filibuster by Senate Democrats. [Los Angeles Times; USA Today]
* “I don’t want to say that he may disappoint Mr. Trump. But I believe if the president had an order that had a constitutional issue, I believe Mr. Gorsuch would rule on the side of the Constitution.” There’s little doubt that President Trump’s travel ban will someday make its way to SCOTUS, but if when Judge Gorsuch is confirmed, given his history with immigration cases, it’s not definite that he’ll go to bat for POTUS. [Big Law Business]
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* President Trump’s Department of Justice doesn’t want to abolish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even though it’s been alleged that the CFPB’s structure is unconstitutional. Instead, DOJ lawyers argue that the president should be able to deliver his signature catchphrase to bureau director Richard Cordray, an Obama appointee who has apparently overstated his welcome: “You’re fired!” [DealBook / New York Times]
* How does one go from homelessness to graduating from Yale Law School? After living without a home on and off for about seven years, Bryant Watson beat the odds. He’s armed with an Ivy League law degree from the most prestigious school in the country, and with a federal clerkship lined up for 2018, he’s on the road to a successful legal career. We may have more on his inspiring story later today. [Salt Lake Tribune]
* After receiving a rubber stamp from the American Bar Association, in addition to the classes it already offers for 2Ls and 3Ls, the University of Idaho College of Law will offer classes for first-year students at its campus in Boise. We have a feeling that this may not work out very well for enrollment at the provisionally accredited Concordia University School of Law, which also calls Boise its home. [Spokesman Review; TaxProf Blog]
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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. She’d love to hear from you, so feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.