The Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] began hearings [materials] on Monday for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch [Politico profile]. Each of the 20 senators on the committee, as well as Gorsuch himself, began the hearing by providing opening statements. Democrat members appeared to focus [Fox News report] on a case where Gorsuch sided against a driver who was fired for leaving behind his cargo in subzero temperatures when his brakes stopped working. Gorsuch refuted such criticisms, stressing that as a judge he is guided by law and the facts, stating [politico report] that:

I ruled for disabled students, for prisoners, for the accused, for workers alleging civil rights violations and for undocumented immigrants. Sometimes, too, I ruled against such persons. My decisions have never reflected a judgment about the people before me — only a judgment about the law, the facts, and issue in each particular case.

There are some Democrats who appear to refuse consideration of Gorsuch in light of Republicans blocking Obama nominee Merrick Garland. Senate Judicial Chairman Chuck Grassley stated he hopes to have the panel vote on the nomination by April 3 and a floor vote by the Senate on April 8. Monday was an introductory hearing while Tuesday and Wednesday will put Gorsuch’s record under the microscope before the final hearing on Thursday.

Supreme Court appointments have been a highly politicized issue [JURIST op-ed] over the past year, since the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia. President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch [JURIST report] in January to fill the late Justice Scalia’s Supreme Court seat. Some have argued that Gorsuch’s nomination should be contested and blocked after the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland by former president Barack Obama expired in January without a vote [JURIST reports]. Others argue that judicial appointments deserve to be treated in a non-partisan manner [JURIST op-ed]. A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit [JURIST report] in November attempted to force a vote on former nominee Garland.