Judge Neil Gorsuch received a strong endorsement and praise for his independence from a fellow Colorado judge Thursday on the fourth and final day of testimony in his confirmation hearing for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.
U.S. District Court Judge John Kane testified before a Senate committee in Washington, D.C., that while he and Gorsuch “share few of the same social, political or religious views,” the nominee consistently sets aside his personal beliefs on the bench.
“Being consciously aware of one’s views and setting them aside at the start of every case is no easy task, nor should it be. The question for any nominee is does he or she have the discipline to do that and decide each case according to the rule of law? I believe Judge Gorsuch does and his opinions prove it,” Kane said. “Judge Gorsuch is not a monk but neither is he a missionary or an ideologue.
“I have been been both affirmed and reversed by him and each time I thought he was fair and right. He treats the parties and the trial judges’ rulings with respect. He does not ridicule them or take cheap shots. Nor does he insult or demean other judges who might disagree with him,” Kane continued.
“Judge Gorsuch is the only judge of whom I am aware who has written both majority opinions and concurring opinions in the same case. The majority opinions were the opinions of the three judge court. The concurring opinions were his separate additional perspectives,” Kane testified. “He knows the difference between speaking for a court and for himself. Judge Gorsuch’s opinions also make clear his concern for the separation of powers and his keen awareness of the judiciary’s independence.”
Kane testified as a member of a panel of judges and others called in support and opposition of the Gorsuch nomination by President Donald Trump.
