Senators Cotton, Cruz, and Hawley Respond to Trump Placing Them on SCOTUS Shortlist

President Trump announced a new list of possible Supreme Court picks on Wednesday, and included among them were Senators Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Tom Cotton.

All three responded to the President’s move.

According to The Daily Wire:

Advertisement

The new list, which is an expansion to the existing list, features a mixture of judges, ambassadors, and other attorneys, including three U.S Senators — Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) — all of whom the president vowed “would be jurists in the mold of Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito.”

…

“I appreciate the President’s confidence in listing me as a potential Supreme Court nominee. But as I told the President, Missourians elected me to fight for them in the Senate, and I have no interest in the high court. I look forward to confirming constitutional conservatives,” said Hawley in a statement.

…

“I am grateful for the president’s confidence in me and for his leadership in nominating principled constitutionalists to the federal bench over the last four years. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve been proud to help confirm to the bench over 200 of President Trump’s judicial nominees, including two to the Supreme Court. It’s humbling and an immense honor to be considered for the Supreme Court. The High Court plays a unique role in defending our Constitution, and there is no greater responsibility in public service than to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. In the Senate, I have been blessed to lead the fight to preserve our constitutional liberties—every day, to defend the rights of 29 million Texans—and I look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come,” said Cruz in a statement.

Of the three senators, Cotton indicated the most interest in the position: “I’m honored that President Trump asked me to consider serving on the Supreme Court and I’m grateful for his confidence. I will always heed the call of service to our nation. The Supreme Court could use some more justices who understand the difference between applying the law and making the law, which the Court does when it invents a right to an abortion, infringes on religious freedom, and erodes the Second Amendment.”

Trump also issues a powerful summation during his speech: “Every one of these individuals will ensure equal justice, equal treatment, and equal rights for citizens of every race, color, religion, and creed.”