WASHINGTON – Today during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s consideration of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) defended Gorsuch against unfair attacks made by Democrats.

The Committee is expected to vote on Judge Gorsuch’s nomination later today.

• GRAHAM: “Here’s what I do appreciate about President Trump. He listened to people who understand what a conservative jurist is all about. He listened to a lot of people and he came up with a list that I applauded him on. I could vote for any of those 21 people he put out before the election. ” https://youtu.be/vpXz8442qkY?t=6m21s

• GRAHAM: “They say [since the Trump Administration] is under investigation he shouldn’t be allowed to pick. A bit of a stretch but let’s say it’s [Vice President] Mike Pence – who is he going to pick? Say something happens to him and it’s [Speaker of the House] Paul Ryan, who is he going to pick? Let’s say I got 99 percent more support than I actually did running for president , who would I have picked? I would have picked [Gorsuch].” https://youtu.be/vpXz8442qkY?t=6m42s

• GRAHAM: “So when I hear [Minority Leader] Senator Schumer say ‘change the nominee, don’t change the rules,’ that’s an absolute slam on a fine man. We’re not going to change the nominee.” https://youtu.be/vpXz8442qkY?t=5m50s

• GRAHAM to Committee Democrats: “I don’t know what hearing y’all were attending.” https://youtu.be/vpXz8442qkY?t=41s

• GRAHAM: “We will not have a successful filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee because if we have to, we will change the rules. And it looks like we’re going to have to. I hate that. I really, really do.” https://youtu.be/vpXz8442qkY?t=2m46s

• GRAHAM: “[Minority Leader] Senator Schumer… keeps talking about ‘reasonable’ and ‘mainstream’ – as if he knows what reasonable and mainstream is on our side of the aisle.” https://youtu.be/vpXz8442qkY?t=3m2s

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