Off the wire
• Chinese shares open mixed Thursday  • Market exchange rates in China -- Feb. 9  • Schalke, Dortmund book places in German Cup quarterfinals  • Aust'n MP chasing "Trump-like" powers with proposed visa changes: opposition  • Myanmar to investigate allegations contained in human rights report  • Chinese yuan strengthens to 6.8710 against USD  • Australia moves to deport refugees in Papua New Guinea  • Tokyo stocks open lower on yen's rise, U.S. political uncertainty  • Alaves secure first-ever King's Cup final appearance with 1-0 win over Celta  • Australia's tallest tower to be built in Melbourne  
You are here: 　 Home

Trump's supreme justice pick feels "disheartened" over president's tweet attack

Xinhua, February 9, 2017 Adjust font size:

U.S. President Donald Trump's pick for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch said Wednesday that Trump's tweets attacking federal judges were "disheartening" and "demoralizing".

Gorsuch's spokesman Ron Bonjean confirmed that Gorsuch made the remarks during a conversation with Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal.

The show of solidarity with fellow judges was in response to Trump's previous criticism of federal judges who ruled against his executive order, which banned the entry of citizens of seven Middle Eastern countries for 90 days, the entry of all immigrants for 120 days and the entry of Syrian immigrants indefinitely.

Speaking at a gathering of police chiefs earlier Wednesday, Trump accused U.S. courts of being political after his executive order signed on Jan. 27 was halted.

"Courts seem to be so political and it would be so great for our justice system if they could read a statement and do what's right," he said.

Trump said the court should immediately reinstate the executive order, which he said was signed to promote national security.

Trump has also singled out federal district court judge James Robart, who blocked his executive order, tweeting "the opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be over turned!"

Robart ruled Friday to put the executive order on freeze nationwide on the ground that the ban was causing states "irreversible damages."

Trump's criticism shattered a U.S. political tradition that members of the executive branch and legislative branch refrained from commenting on judicial decisions.

"I think it's best not to single out judges for criticism," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in response to Trump's tweet.

Major protests broke out in big cities and major airports around the country as many saw the effort as a deviation from long standing immigrants-friendly policies in the United States.

The Department of Justice has made an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, in the meantime asking for the retraction of the restraining order.

The request was denied by the Ninth Circuit Court. Endi