WASHINGTON—In response to the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as a Supreme Court justice, following Republicans’ decision yesterday to change longstanding Senate rules after Gorsuch failed to meet the traditional 60-vote threshold, People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker issued the following statement:

“Today’s confirmation is the culmination of a 14-month power grab orchestrated by Mitch McConnell and his right-wing allies, and enabled by every member of the GOP caucus. From just hours after the death of Justice Scalia, Republicans have put politics above principle at every opportunity. They’ve revealed with chilling clarity the simple truth that there are no moderates or institutionalists left in the GOP caucus—every single member leapt at the opportunity to degrade the United States Senate in order to help Donald Trump put a dangerous ideologue onto our nation’s highest court.

“Over the coming years, Republicans will be responsible for every one of the disastrous decisions that Neil Gorsuch will enable. Every time the Supreme Court issues a 5-4 decision attacking women’s rights, undermining LGBTQ equality, allowing Wall Street to scam consumers, eviscerating civil rights protections and giving billionaires more power in our democracy, there will be no question where the blame will fall. It will be up to voters and activists to make clear that the extreme ideology that brought Neil Gorsuch to the attention of his patrons at the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society is an unwelcome and dangerous addition to the Supreme Court.”

PFAW spokespeople are available for TV, radio, and print interviews. To schedule one, please email [email protected].

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

###