WASHINGTON - Sen. Al Franken met this afternoon with Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, less than two weeks before what is expected to be a contentious hearing before the Judiciary Committee where Franken is a member.
"I do have my doubts whether he won't be another … vote for an activist, pro-corporate court," Franken told reporters outside his office. He added that Gorsuch, who has met with 70 senators, was guarded during their discussion.
President Trump nominated Gorsuch, a conservative appeals court judge in Denver, to fill the seat left vacant when Justice Antonin Scalia died last year. Democrats are still bitter about Senate Republicans blocking former President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, from receiving a hearing. Franken said he discussed the matter with Gorsuch "and again, that was an area where I didn't really get a satisfactory answer."
Franken added that "he sort of got into judge speak" and didn't really answer his questions.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, also a member of the Judiciary Committee, met with Gorsuch last month and said she talked with him about campaign finance and consumer issues.
