Whether selecting a nominee for cabinet position, imposing gag rules on government agencies, or issuing an executive order, Trump is inspiring a steady stream of resistance at each turn

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Story Transcript

PROTESTORS: (chanting)

JAISAL NOOR: The resistance to Donald Trump’s presidency is continuing across the country.

On Wednesday, Democrats boycotted a hearing for Trump’s controversial EPA head Scott Pruitt, denying Republicans in control of the committee a quorum needed to proceed to vote. Pruitt said he doesn’t share Trump’s belief climate change is a hoax but would not specify how human action can impact climate change. Republicans did not change rules to allow the vote to continue as they did earlier Wednesday, allowing the advancement of two of Trump’s other controversial cabinet picks — Tom Price and Steve Mnuchin. Democrats had boycotted their hearings on Tuesday because rules stated one Democrat must be present for a quorum to be reached and were able to delay the vote by a day. They cited news reports that appeared to uncover discrepancies in testimony Price and Mnuchin had given during confirmation hearings.

Also on Wednesday, Attorney General nominee, Senator Jeff Sessions, was approved by Senate Committee after Democrats had also delayed his vote on Tuesday. Democrats had questioned the role Sessions had in Trump’s Executive Order targeting Muslims and refugees. Sessions has been called the most anti-immigrant Senator in office and was denied a Federal judgeship in 1986 after colleagues testified he used racist language.

For more on all of Trump’s nominees go to The Real News.com or check out the links below this story.

PROTESTORS: (chanting) My body, my choice! Her body, her choice! My body, my choice! Her body, her choice!

JAISAL NOOR: Meanwhile, civil liberty groups were joined by hundreds of protestors on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court late Tuesday to voice their dissent of President Donald Trump’s choice of judge Neil Gorsuch to be the next Supreme Court Justice.

In New York, 11 were arrested, including the mother of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was choked to death by a white police officer who was not charged with a crime.

Close to 300 people demonstrated against Trump’s decision, saying Gorsuch represents a major step backwards for issues such as the rights of people of color, workers, LGBTQ community, women’s rights and other civil liberties.

MARY KAY HENRY: This judge is a step backwards for working families. He has never been willing to stand with working people in any previous decision where workers are trying to find a voice in this economy and democracy. And together, with the rest of the leaders here, we call on the United States Senate to reject this nomination.

JAISAL NOOR: If confirmed, Trump’s nominee Gorsuch would restore the Court’s conservative majority and help shape rulings on divisive issues such as abortion, gun control, the death penalty and religious rights.

PROTESTORS: (chanting) Stop Gorsuch! Stop Gorsuch!

WADE HENDERSON: We are here tonight to demand — not to ask, to demand — that the independence of all United States Supreme Court be protected from being mangled and mauled by someone whose Administration does not appear … but it doesn’t appear to be committed to protecting the Constitutional rights of all of us.

JAISAL NOOR: Democrats have vowed to filibuster Gorsuch’s nomination. On Wednesday, Trump urged Republicans to use the nuclear option, or change Senate rules to make the Democrats’ possible filibuster null and void.

The Federal Appeals Court Judge is a conservative intellectual known for backing religious rights, and is seen very much in the mold of ultra-right-wing Antonin Scalia, the Justice he was chosen to replace, who died in February of 2016.

ADAM HODGE: There are actually parts of his record where he’s far to the extreme of Scalia, and whether corporations could write all the rules in our government — it’s called the Chevron Doctrine. I won’t get into, again, all the specific details, but it does raise a real concern about whether he can be that fair, independent, open-minded jurist on the court.

JAISAL NOOR: Trump is moving swiftly to reshape the federal bureaucracy, appointing agency heads who could up-end the legacy of President Barack Obama on emissions, health care, and in our policy. The court’s view on agencies’ agendas will be critical.

For our full interview with Kamau Franklin responding to Gorsuch’s nomination, go to TheRealNews.com. This is Jaisal Noor.

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