Durbin, Duckworth to join Gorsuch filibuster

Illinois' two senators are among Democrats who plan to filibuster Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Springfield, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who voted "no" when Gorsuch gained the committee's backing Monday, said in a statement his decision to oppose Gorsuch is "not even close."

Durbin said he fears Gorsuch would vote for special interests and criticized Gorsuch as being indirect in answering some questions during his confirmation hearing last month.

"I laid out my expectations in a February speech on the Senate floor on what I needed to hear," Durbin said in a statement. "I asked: 'Can you demonstrate that - as a Supreme Court justice - you would uphold and defend the Constitution for the benefit of everyone, not just the corporations and the privileged elite? Can you demonstrate that you would be an independent check on this president or any president? Can you show that you're prepared to disappoint the president who chose you and the right-wing groups that have taken credit for your name coming before this committee?'

"I said, 'You need to be forthright about what your values are.' Well, today is opening day of the baseball season a few blocks away from here, and unfortunately, for those four questions, Judge Gorsuch went 0 for 4."

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates said in a statement that she has concerns about Gorsuch's rulings on disability rights, civil rights and reproductive rights and that she refuses "to vote to end debate on a nominee who refuses to provide any answers to my questions."

"Earning a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court requires much more than a genial demeanor and an ability to artfully dodge even the most pointed of questions. In his four days of confirmation hearings, Judge Gorsuch did not show any ability to alleviate my concerns. I cannot vote to confirm him."

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination in a party-line vote, 11-9, setting the stage for debate on the Senate floor later this week.