WASHINGTON, D.C. (NEWS CENTER) -- Senator Susan Collins had a one hour sit down with President Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court on Thursday morning, and the meeting seems to have gone well for Judge Neil Gorsuch.
"I was certainly impressed with Judge Gorsuch, and I look forward to his public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee," Sen. Collins said in a statement.
The republican senator from Maine said she spoke to Judge Gorsuch about the importance of the independent judiciary, and he assured her that no one from the Trump Administration asked him to commit to a certain ruling ahead of his confirmation.
Judge Gorsuch was nominated to the bench by President Trump, in order to fill the vacancy left by the 2016 death of Judge Antonin Scalia. Former President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, never made it out of committee. However, Senator Collins broke ranks with her political party when she agreed to a meeting with Judge Garland.
Although Sen. Collins encouraged her colleagues to consider President Obama's nominee before the transition in the White House, she seems satisfied with President Trump's choice.
"My more than hour-long meeting with Judge Gorsuch this morning confirmed for me what many on both sides of the aisle and those who know him well have said throughout his distinguished career: Judge Gorsuch is an individual with great integrity and extraordinary intellect who has a deep respect for the law."
Judge Gorsuch met with several members of Congress yesterday as well. He was joined by former New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, who lost her seat on Capitol Hill to democrat Maggie Hassan in November.
Maine's other sitting senator, Independent Angus King, said he plans to give Judge Gorusch a fair shot:
“My approach to considering Judge Gorsuch’s nomination will be consistent with my approach to considering Merrick Garland’s nomination last year: I will listen to the views he expresses before the Senate Judiciary Committee and carefully evaluate his record to understand his judicial philosophy and temperament. At the end of this process, I will make an independent judgment based on whether or not I believe he will interpret the law in accordance with existing statutes and precedent, and most importantly, in accordance with the Constitution.”
