Nominated by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Judge Neil Gorsuch is slated to fill the vacant position of associate Supreme Court Justice after the late Justice Antonin Scalia died while hunting quail in Texas nearly a year ago.
The 49-year old nominee, a graduate of Columbia, Harvard, and Oxford, has clerked for two Supreme Court justices and held a brief position at the Department of Justice. Gorsuch, who if appointed, would become the only current Supreme Court justice to call the western United States home.
As with any new appointment, rumors swirl and questions abound, and as hunters and anglers, we are dually interested in learning more about such a candidate.
An Outdoorsman
First and foremost, Gorsuch is a self-proclaimed outdoorsman who enjoys both hunting and fishing. The Colorado native raises horses just outside of Denver and can often be found enjoying the great outdoors hunting, skiing or knee deep in a body of water with his fly fishing rod in hand.
A Second Amendment Supporter
A constitutional man, Gorsuch’s record indicates his support for the Second Amendment and is one many law-abiding gun owners in America believe they can trust. Earlier this week, the National Rifle Association got behind Trump’s nomination, urging members to support the candidacy of Judge Gorsuch.
“On behalf of our five million members, the NRA strongly supports Judge Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. We will be activating our members and tens of millions of supporters throughout the country in support of Judge Gorsuch. He will protect our right to keep and bear arms and is an outstanding choice to fill Justice Scalia’s seat,” said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director, NRA-ILA.
Environmentally Connected
Gorsuch’s mother, Anne Burford Gorsuch, was at the helm of the Environmental Protection Agency at the commencement of the Reagan administration. For this reason, along with his passion for the outdoors, he is expected to be a champion for western issues such as public lands, natural resources and Indian tribal rights and governments.
