senator blumenthal: and let me add one more point. there's this myth now is somehow the next one is the important seat on the court. every seat on the court is equally important, and judge gorsuch's record shows how deeply conservative he is. i've been a law clerk on the supreme court. i've argued cases there. there's no such thing as a less important supreme court justice. not only is each of them potentially a swing vote but each of them can sway others and judge gorsuch has shown himself to be skillful, artful, articulate and a deeply conservative judge with that bent who can sway his colleagues is as important certainly as the next potential appointee, if there is one. we're all saying -- or the premise of your question is will there be another? senator schumer: if they're so quick to change the rules this time, they will be just as quick to change it next time. we're fighting this judge because of the reasons that sheldon and dick outlined. but let me tell you something. if right now already with this kind of nominee chosen by th

lou: as we examine judge gorsuch and senator blumenthal and senator huma -- and senator sch. to say as senator blumenthal did that he will use every too many at his disposal who stop a man who just about everyone i have heard say he's a great just and remarkable man.

senator blumenthal: i interrupted the second question. reporter: another subject. blumeblume well, you don't get -- senator blumenthal: well, you don't get to ask. reporter: they said, hello, chuck. are you going to work with him on health care? senator schumer: we sent a letter saying we want to work with you on health care. make sure you don't undermine the a.c.a. because you're angry or out of vengeance because if you undermine our health care system you're hurting americans. that's not being a president. that's not leading. and second we said, this idea of repeal has proven not to work. trumpcare got about 17% popularity in the poll done right before it passed. so once they get off this kick of repeal and stop undermining the health care system, we have suggestions we want to make to make the system better. they'll have suggestions. we should get in a we should get in a room and try to make it better. i'm happy to do that. >> just by way of example, to prove that this can wok, -- work, if there's an issue nearly as divisive as health care, it's education. the h

this exchange between senator blumenthal and judge gorsuch. >> and when anyone criticizes the honesty or integrity, the motives of a federal judge, well, i find that disheartening. i find that demoralizing. senator, i can't comment on specific cases, and i can't get involved in politics. i've gone as far as i can go ethically. lou: blumenthal asking him, again, the question about the response to the president's criticism of district court judges. by the way, i've been critical of three district court judges who wrote decisions against the president's executive order, the travel ban order, the extreme vetting orders, depending how you style them. your reaction to his statement about being disheartened by criticizing the federal court system? >> i think that was a reasonable statement. he had to be very clear for ethical reasons as he said he's talking in general about attacks in judiciary, that could apply to something trump has said and something president obama said. remember his state of the union address when he took the supreme court to task for citizens united that rated mostly f

as judge neil gorsuch confirmation push gets under way, democrat richard blumenthal says he'll use every tool he has to prevent his swearing in. he'll join us in the morning, as well as republican senator john corn cornyn. you're watching "morning joe."

senator blumenthal asked when he said anyone, would that apply to the president of the united states? judge gorsuch replied simply, anyone is anyone. it's true that judge gorsuch didn't use the magic words, i disagree with president trump, but he can't get involved in politics. he said here what he can say. in fact, he said all he can say in this context. moreover, here are some additional parts of judge gorsuch's testimony which shed light on this issue. from tuesday, quote, i have no difficulty ruling against or for any party other than based on what the law and the facts in the particular case require, and i'm heartened by the support i've received by people who recognize that there is no such thing as a republican judge or democratic judge. we just have judges in this country. close quote. from wednesday he said, quote, i do not see republican judges and i do not see democrat judges. i see judges. close quote. so i think any fair-minded person looking at this would have to agree that judge gorsuch's feelings about judicial independence in cases before the federal judiciary are ver

so obviously senator blumenthal did not misrepresent that.ly something judge gorsuch believes whether it would be donald trump who would be saying it or any one of us sitting around the table would be saying. >> he accused senator blumenthal of, in his words, a major lie. this is at example based on what gorsuch just said during this confirmation hearing of a falsehood by the president. >> right. clearly it wasn't because judge gorsuch just repeated himself. he didn't specifically say as donald trump did in his tweets, he did not do that, but it's clear what he meant. >> just to be precise, gorsuch said that anyone who attacks the integrity of a judge, that is disheartening and demoralizing. strong words. he's trying to get himself confirmed, though, as a u.s. supreme court justice. >> absolutely. this was part of the strategy here, wolf. he needs to especially target democrats and assure them that he will be a check, the judiciary will be a check, the supreme court on not only this administration, but any administration. of course, the trump

senator blumenthal? senator blumenthal: thanks, mr. chairman. word "despicable disgusting." i think that is something we all share with you. and i think we all share the passion and impatience at was -- that's a letter -- that senator gillibrand expressed earlier very powerfully because there have been incidents in the past, and your acknowledgment at perhaps the past violations of trust and law have not been addressed sufficiently aggressively may give us some comfort here, but i think we are all going to watch closely and demand froyou not just the words you have given us, which we trust, but also action. it speaks louder than words. do you know personally of any commanders who had knowledge of this site before it was disclosed? gen. neller: no, senator, i don't. sen. blumenthal: and do you believe the same type of aggressive discipline should be focused on the chain of command as well as on the perpetrators who were involved in the immediate conduct? if they had knowledge echoes -- knowledge? gen. neller: i do. sen. blumenthal: and will you assure us that you will take ag

blu senator blumenthal asked judge gorsuch whether what he said should a president of the united states judge gorsuch respondeded simply anyone is anyone. it's true judge gorsuch didn't use the magic words i disagree with president trump but hed can't get involved in politics. in fact he said all he can say in this context.ditional moreover here are some additional parts of judge gorsuch's testimony. from tuesday kwavnick i have no difficulty ruling against any party on what the law and the facts in a particular case require and i'm heartened by the supporter i've received from people who recognize that there is no such thing as a republican judge or a democratic judge. we just have judges in this country". he said quote i did not see republicans and i did not see you democratic judges come i see judges. i think he's a fair-minded person looking at this did are very clear. to my colleagues who might see the issue differently i would ask simply what should judgedg gorsuch have said without getting involved in politics without miring themselves in a s debate within the political branches

with our minority leader chuck schumer and my friend and former attorney general colleague dick blumenthal to call for a little bit of daylight into the dark money that is presently shadowing the nomination of judge gorsuch. during the course of the hearing, we explored the supreme court's role to arbitrate fairly between parties when litigation comes to the highest court in the land, as we saw over and over again, there are 5 -4 partisan decisions from the past supreme court that have a very distinct trend. if it is republican interest versus democratic interest in election cases, they came down in those 5 -4 decision 6 - 0. that's for the republican interest against the democratic interest. when cases came before the court that put a corporation up against a regular person, in the 5 -4 partisan decisions, they came down 16 - 0 in favor of the corporation against the person. the court has another role to arbitrate fairly and that is that it has a place in our constitutional system of democracy, our balanced constitutional democracy to help safeguard and protect the popular popular democra

>> senator blumenthal standing by for us, we'll talk to him in a few moments. matt, as we watch this hearing play out here in real time it's ongoing, we just saw texas senator ted cruz asking some questions. you worked at the doj under eric holder, tell us about this man named rod rosenstein. what's he like? >> he's a straight arrow. he's a prosecutor's prosecutor. i think he's about as good a choice as we can expect for deputy attorney general. personally i wish he was the attorney general rather than jeff sessions. if rod rosenstein was left to investigate this russia question or appointed a special counsel to iestigate the question he would do a good job. the deputy attorney general regularly sits in the situation room with the president. 'long with others is vying for influence with the president, is asking the president to pass judgment on things, policy things the department of justice is doing on investigations and so it's difficult at the same time you're constantly interacting with the president and members of the white house to be investigating the pr

this is senator blumenthal. i want to talk to you a little bit about what you're going to see here today. you said you're going to hold up this nomination for the deputy attorney general if he doesn't appoint a special prosecutor to look into russia. can you explain? >> unless he commits to appoint a special prosecutor, i'm going to use every tool available to block his nomination. the reason is quite simply that an independent prosecutor is absolutely necessary to look into the russian interference in our election and the potential from tie and even collusion between trump officials and the fu russians, as well as the danger of a coverup. >> can i ask you about the president's tweets over the weekend? he accused president obama about wiretapping trump tower right before the election. >> all the reason we need a special prosecutor. it portends the political influence that will be brought to bear on the department of justice. now it falls to the deputy attorney general to assure the independence of this special p

enator blumenthal. mr. blumenthal: thank you. you used the words despicable and disgusting. that is a feeling that everybody on this panel shares with you. i think we all share the assion and inpatience at was expressed earlier very powerfully because there have been incidents in the past, and your acknowledgment at perhaps the past violations of trust and law have not been addressed sufficiently aggressively may give us some comfort here, but i think we are all going to watch closely and demand from you not just the words you have given us, which we trust, but also action. it speaks louder than words. do you know personally of any commanders who had knowledge of this site before it was disclosed? gen. neller: no, senator, i don't. mr. blumenthal: do you believe the same kind of aggressive discipline should be focused on the chain of command as well as on the perpetrators who were involved n the immediate conduct? gen. neller: i do. mr. blumenthal: if they had knowledge. and will you assure us that you will take aggressive action against them? gen. neller: i do. mr. blumenth

mark weitzman is with the simon blumenthal center. >> you would think we know everything we need to knowperiod. but the reality is we're still learning new things almost every day, historians are uncovering new things. >> reporter: germany did not prosecute him after finding him mentally incompetent to stand trial. the department of justice says it is not commenting on this case. so, we don't know just yet if united states will allow karkoc and i'm michelle >>> a wet start this morning as we take a live look at sfo. good morning, it is tuesday, march 21. thanks for joining us. i'm kenny choi. >> i'm michelle griego. you can see from that live look there is rain out there. [ laughter ] >> yeah. >> i want to say moisture but no, this is rain. >> this is wet. >> yeah. i guarantee there will be delays at sfo today not so much because of the rain but the very low ceiling and especially the wind. when you're on approach with those gusty winds -- >> no, thank you! . >> we'll keep you posted on the potential delays at any of our local airports but let's send you out the door and show you exactly

. >> now, there are in thats like richard blumenthal of connecticut making noise about a potential filibuster tweeting last night if judge gorsuch doesn't reject trump's litmus test i will' his scotus nomination relentlessly at tend, a hint of a filibuster with potential for two, three, may be four supreme court picks, over the course of this first term in office for president trump there is some sense in washington that democrats may make a lot of noise, but hold back on an actual filibuster this time around knowing that or gos ignores is going to be harder to stop than potentially other picks down the road. >> all strategy, i just like to use flummoxed. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> just hours from now president trump is heading to louisville pushing health care replacement plan rally taking place ahead of the high stakes vote on bill expected this week. >> i think thursday is most likely our day to bring forward we feel good where we are conversations with members, we are making fine-tuning improvements to the bill to reformist concerns the president back great closer the one helped negot

senator blumenthal, why isn't it far enough? >> it is nowhere near far enough, because he owes an explanation to the judiciary committee. he should be brought back to the judiciary committee. and give an explanation as to why he omitted and denied key relevant facts in the course of our hearings on his nomination. if he fails to provide a credible explanation, he should resign. and it's also nowhere near enough because the scope of his recusal is still somewhat undefined. he referred to the campaign, but really the investigation from which he should recuse himself relates to the entire cyber attack and act of cyber warfare on our democratic institutions and the potential complicity, connection, contact between the trump transition as well as the campaign and the administration since the inaugural with the russians. and as more news develops, the jared kushner meeting, for example, the need for that broader recusal becomes all the more necessary. >> sreenivasan: senator, if you could get the attorney general back in front of your

lou: as we examine judge gorsuch and senator blumenthal and senator huma -- and senator sch.o say as senator blumenthal did that he will use every too many at his disposal who stop a man who just about everyone i have heard say he's a great just and remarkable man. is there not a price to be paid? >> the conference got together and decided to designate senator blumenthal as the attack dog. they will try their best to find a chink in the armor. i don't think it exists. i think you have probably got one of the finest nominees in the country. i think they will avoid the risk that the nuclear option gets played. they will want to save the for the summer. lou: the american people have to be growing increasingly frustrated with the democratic party. it's the party of no, it's effectively an irrational and dysfunctional organization of constituencies. and it never know who is going to try to be the most convenien. adam schiff kept attacking and attacking. the fact of the matter is he didn't have much other than a constructed timeline that could or could not have been accurate. >> i

lou: as we examine judge gorsuch and senator blumenthal and senator huma -- and senator sch.o say as senator blumenthal did that he will use every too many at his disposal who stop a man who just about everyone i have heard say he's a great just and remarkable man. is there not a price to be paid? >> the conference got together and decided to designate senator blumenthal as the attack dog. they will try their best to find a chink in the armor. i don't think it exists. i think you have probably got one of the finest nominees in the country. i think they will avoid the risk that the nuclear option gets played. they will want to save the for the summer. lou: the american people have to be growing increasingly frustrated with the democratic party. it's the party of no, it's effectively an irrational and dysfunctional organization of constituencies. and it never know who is going to try to be the most convenien. adam schiff kept attacking and attacking. the fact of the matter is he didn't have much other than a constructed timeline that could or could not have been accurate. >> i

[inaudible conversations] senate judiciary chair and committee members richard blumenthal spoke to reporters following the end of day number one of the confirmation hearings for supreme court nominee judge neil gorsuch. this is ten minutes. .. >> >> that he is against the little guy greg. >> i have gone through his cases and i don't think that can hold water i thing she will demonstrate that very clearly tomorrow but our research shows he is a person that calls the shots the way they should in he bested mr. did that in the statement he made a few days ago as a judge that likes everyone of his opinion he said the same thing just now ben they are not a very good judge and i think she has that reputation laugh. >> and then to manipulate maternity leave policy and those responses from other people who know him and have worked with him and would refuse to that so we have many more statements of support into have any idea of what that might be quite. >> according to what i know and i have not had a decent conversation with the leader , ed think the senate will take up immediately a think there is

so, let me play the video clip, or ask to have the video played and senator blumenthal will be followed by leadership or -- leader chuck schumer. >> i don't understand the dark money that is spending money on your election spent at least $7 million against him -- him being garland, and now there's a $15 million delta and i'm trying to figure out what they are doing. do you have any answer to that. >> you would have to ask them. >> we are. >> sorry. we are. that's what we are here to do, to ask that question. >> thank you. i didn't mean to interrupt your video. i thought it was over. >> no problem. >> well my colleague from new york took the words right out of my mouth. we are, we are asking the judicial crisis network, and we are asking again judge gorsuch, who is paying for these ads? it is that simple. the appalling unacceptable fact is that american justice is being bought. we want to know who's paying. they bought the ads against mayor garland and now they are buying the ads for judge gorsuch, carefully targeted to have maximum political impact. now, this fact would be appalling eno

and menominee said yes, it's a dark stain on america's history and then i think it was senator blumenthal that asked, do you support the brown versus the board of education. he wouldn't say. now, brown the education was the vote in terms of schools and fairness and desegregation and anybody that's going to be in the supreme court, it seems to me has to say yes, i supported it, and when i look back, when we look back at other nominees, republican nominees who would say when a verdict was passed, yes i support that. i just want to say these three things, or less setting the table for at least the way the senator feels about this. i never thought, and you are eminently fair and you know what i think about you because i say it everywhere, and i very much appreciate your leadership and i respected. having said that, this puts this side in my view, in just a terrible position. when you have this kind of dark money, you have reportedly ten states targeted, and millions spent, it creates a situation, i think for a nominee that the people who spend this money, by the tens of millions, ought to thi

blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. i ask that the quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. i am here on behalf of 55 million working americans who lack access to a retirement savings plan through their employer. these numbers underscore a very, very uncomfortable truth for many americans there is a looming retirement crisis in our nation. congress must do more to preserve, protect, and strengthen retirement savings for all americans. i come to the floor today to express my strong opposition to the legislation before us which would do precisely the opposite. h.j. res. 67 would tear down ongoing efforts at the state and municipal levels to resist and obstruct hard-working americans for a financially stable and rewarding retirement. i also want to express my very deep concern about efforts by republican colleagues to force a vote on h.j. res. 66 in the near if future. i would ask my colleagues toll look at these -- to look at these proposals right away. whi

mark weitzman is with the simon blumenthal center. >> you would think we know everything we need to knowperiod. but the reality is we're still learning new things almost every day, historians are uncovering new things. >> reporter: germany did not prosecute him after finding him mentally incompetent to stand trial. the department of justice says it is not commenting on this case. so, we don't know just yet if united states will allow karkoc could be extradited to poland. in minneapolis, jamie uche mayy cbs news. >>> in the top story, james comey is looking into possible connections with the russian government to situate election. >> that includes investigating the nature of any links between any individuals associated with the trump campaign and the russian government. and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and russia's efforts. >> comey also said the fbi will follow the facts wherever they lead and knock down claims by the president that the obama administration had tapped his phones. >>> and the u.s. government is temporarily banning airline passengers on flights f

he spoke to the ethics lawyers, what senator blumenthal was telling you about. standards have to be applied. not simply an off the top of the head suggestion. >> greta van susteren, who happens to be a lawyer, has been watching and listening with us. greta, something we touched on in our last conversation. being attorney general is not the same as being secretary of commerce. it's different. and you are subject to different things. >> yes. you are a lawyer. and you are in charge of -- you are a lawyer and you are in charge of investigating these cases. i see this much differently apparently than many others do. i look at this through my lawyer eyes and am a little bit surprised at the u.s. senators who called for his resignation. it's stunning to me because he is doing exactly textbook what you're supposed to do if there is an appearance of impropriety. i don't see that his recusal is that limiting. it says for any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the united states. that would include, in my re

from blumenthal to senator patrick, really hit on some good stuff. think it really brought out what needs to be brought out. , i guess you got to take -- i guess the purpose of what he has discussed and talked about -- host: what are some examples of things you thought needed to be discussed? with patrick and blumenthal, i think they got to the root of what i guess they are trying to talk about. ashley improvising and trying to get him into the position of what -- actually improvising and trying to get him into the position of what he wants to look at. there was a lot of discussion, continuing to shoot out old cases or suits that, i guess they had importance to them. on the they were still decisive decided what measures should be told. gwen ok, we will go on to in michigan on the line for democrats. caller: thank you, c-span, can you hear me? host: yes, ma'am. caller: we never did get a chance to hear how the other nominee was that president obama selected. i am sure he would have sounded like a decent person, but we never got the chance and for almo

michael blumenthal and mike lee on your screen. just a reminder our coverage live here on c-span2 today will reenter all of today's hearing tonight on c-span2 beginning at 8:30 eastern [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

the nominee said, yes, it is a dark stain on america's history and then i think it was senator blumenthal who had ask, well, do you support brown versus the board of education? and he would not say. now, brown versus board of education was the vote in terms andchools and fairness anybody that and is going to be in the supreme court, it seems to me, has to say "yes, i supported it." and when we look back at other republican nominees who would say when a verdict was passed, so, i support that -- just want to say these three things. more or less sort of setting the table for at least the way this senator feels about this. -- he endedght that you are eminently fair and you because i say it everywhere, and i very much appreciate your leadership and i respected. this puts thist, side, in my view, in just a terrible position and when you money,is kind of dark you have reportedly 10 states , iteted and millions spent creates a situation i think for a nominee that the people who spend this money, the tens of millions -- ought to think twice about it might very well be counterproductive and i just

do you feel like in senator blumenthal in trying to hold up the a.g.omination, are democrats overplaying their hand here given this is a guy who you say has impeccable credentials? >> i think what they want to accomplish and i think it is the right thing to accomplish is to get a pledge from rod rosenstein to appoint a special counsel. i think it's unlikely he do that. he'll say i need to get there and see what the investigation is and the underlying facts are. he could describe the situation generally, if there is a situation where it affects the president's campaign and affects the white house, it's the kind of thing he might be able to lean into it without giving a clear, definitive answer. maybe that would be enough to let it go through. >> how must the career prosecutors be feeling through all this, for the people who have made their careers at justice to see all this play out on television and on twitter, might it be better for them to have an independent prosecutor looking at this? >> you make a very good point. specifically the prosecutors in t

want to bring in, as promised, a senator who will be questioning this nominee tomorrow, richard blumenthalrom connecticut. thank you for joining me on an evening that is a night of prep for you. what do you want to learn tomorrow? >> i want to see independence. independence of donald trump and i want to see a forthright and very clear defense of judicial independence against the kind of attacks that are indeed unprecedented that we've seen from donald trump calling a jurist, a so-called judge, potentially claiming a judge for violence that may occur. i want to see that this nominee disavows and in fact discards the litmus test that donald trump has set. >> right. >> including tt he overturned roe v. wade, that he be pro gun anti-violence measures and he be conservative. and let's recognize that he has outsourced this selection. >> you talk about delegating it. >> right. >> here's what you said. memo to trump, don't attack the courts. it's the constitution blocking your muslim ban. do you want to hear judge gorsuch on that tomorrow? is there any way around the fact that he can't comment on

chairman. >> thank you senator blumenthal. senator hirono. >> thank you mr. chairman eye want to add my thanks to the three young women who have come forward and the panel for your testimony today and i want to thank the chair and the ranking member for bringing this issue to the floor. this reminds me very much of the sexual abuse in the military that has been going on for a long long time, way too long. anytime there's a control situation where their power issues the victims are often very afraid to speak out and your circumstances described yet another example of an environment of control where you come to trust someone who is abusing you. so i want to ask mr. olson, you have read the bill have you not? the bill requires mandatory reporting. we are told that the mandatory reporting of sexual abuse must be done by certain categories or described individuals and that's usually the case in the mandatory reporting laws with a situation where there are no witnesses and that the victim doesn't come forward how does mandatory reporting address the problem? >> i t

senator blumenthal joins me now.o you agree with your colleague? have you reached the conclusion that attorney general sessions has perjured himself? >> i agree he has to be brought back before the committee to explain these apparent false statements. what was said in this meeting, why he failed to disclose it and what the ties were, in fact, to the russian meddling, the massive attack on our democratic institution which is could lead to a coverup that these false statements indicate i think it's going to bring back the inescapable conclusion that he made these false statements in an attempt to mislead the committee and that's the conclusion my colleague senator franken is drawing. this is what a special prosecutor has to investigate and it's the very reason that an independent special prosecutor is necessary. because the deputy attorney general, rod rosen stein can't investigate his own boss for perjury, he can't investigate the president for possible collusion with the russians in their meddling with our election?

blumenthal, then kob chklobucha franklin. is that wrong? i'll let you argue it out. >> seniority. >> she was here. >> if you were here then you should go first. >> okay. >> thank you very much, all of you. i come to this as a former prosecutor, thank you mr. olsen, but also as the co-chair of the olympics caucus and i just want you to know that we are so proud of you, our athletes for being willing to put yourself out like this for our country. we are even prouder of you for coming forward today and having the courage to talk about what's happened and what you would like to see changed. thank you for that. mr. adams, i think i'd start with you. i am glad that this center for safesport is starting and you are here to take responsibility from the perspective of the olympic committee. what i keep hearing from the women up here is this issue of reporting. could you talko me about how the center for safesport could help with that? clearly, when you say there's mandatory reporting, people are afraid to report and what difference will it make for

i think it was senator blumenthal that asked, do you support brown versus board of education, and he would not say. was the votetion fairnessof schools and and desegregation. and anybody that is going to be on the supreme court, it seems to me, has to say yes, i supported it. when i look back and we look back at other nominees, republican nominees who would say when a verdict was passed, yes, i support that. so i just want to say these three things, more or less setting the table for at least the way this senator feels about this. that come in you are eminently fair and you know what i think about you because i say it everywhere and a very much appreciate your leadership and i respect it. puts thisd that, this side in my view, in a terrible position. when you have this kind of dark money, you have reportedly 10 states targeted, and millions situation ieates a think for a nominee that the people who spend this money by the tens of millions ought to think twice about that it could be counterproductive. i needed to say that mr. chairman, and i thank you. thank you.ssley: i have already

let's get reaction from connecticut senator richard blumenthal.ou had a very strong tweet yourself that plays into the political tug of war over accountability there in washington. there's your tweet for the audience to digest. i'll use every possible tool to block doj deputy ag nominee unless he commits to appoint independent special prosecutor. the president can answer his own question, can he not? >> he can, because he has access to the intelligence and there would have to be a warrant for any wire tap to be imposed and incredulous is the right word to describe the reaction many of us had. >> if it's so baseless and bizarre, do you think jim comey should have said that to everybody and not behind closed doors? >> my preference would have been director comey to actually issue a statement and directly con troe vertical this unfounded claim. at least there's no evidence that anyone can see for the allegation that there was wire tapping by former president obama. remember, this allegation is very, very serious because there are specific legal restr

. >> senator richard blumenthal vowing against gorsuch. >> donald trump has established a lit big local stomus test. promising he will nominate someone to overturn roe v. wade. we have to assume he has met the litmus test. >> are you prepared to filibuster? >> not only filibuster, but use every tool that we have if he is in fact out of the mainstream. >> but republicans are making clear they will do what it takes to get gorsuch on the high court even if that means changing senate rules to cut off the possibility of a filibuster. republicans are expected to raise gorsuch and play up the similarities of the man he is to replace. antonin scalia. the hearing is expected to last four days. republicans vote fhopefully nex month. >> they are very angry of the treatment of the candidate under president obama. >>> exciting week in general. we have healthcare reform. a top priority for president trump. meeting with house speaker paul ryan and tom price and the key architect of obamacare. they need to pass the repeal and replace bill. more than two dozen republicans, 26 i think is the number here,

blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. i ask that e quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. i rise today in a near-empty chamber. indeed, there is no republican colleague here today, and the reason is that our republican colleagues have yielded back all of their time on this resoluti resolution, and the reason they have yielded back all their time is that they apparently have no interest in appearing here and talking about a resolution of disapproval of a rule that is vital to ensuring women have access to the family planning provider of their choice. it's really that simple. defending planned parenthood is what we have done on this side. defunding planned parenthood has been the interest on the other side. they have also taken an inordinate interest in reinstating gender ratings in health insurance and now damaging title 10 networks through this resolution. they have demonstrated an unmitigated desire to cut women's access to health care in order to win apparently political points. but their

blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. i am here in the midst of a judiciary committee hearing on supreme court nominee neil gorsuch showing and in a way showindication the wonder of american -- showcasing the wonder of american justice. his hearing will proceed through the balance of the day with him as our witness and then into tomorrow with others who will comment on his qualifications. and the showcasing of american justice really demonstrates how the rule of law serves our democracy and how we strive to appoint the best possible people -- men and women, dedicated to public service -- to the courts of 0 you are land to assure -- to the courts of our land to assure that the rule of law and justice are second to none and as infallible in protecting individual rights as they can possibly be. in a sense, i'm here to talk about a rule that also serves american justice. it's the rule put forward by the occupational safety and health administration under the last administration. and i'm here to oppose h.j. res. 83, which woul

. >> [inaudible conversations] >> richard blumenthal, part of the senate judiciary committee, their hand with neil gorsuch date number one going a little over four hours today and you also heard from chuck grassley, the chairman of the committee. their skill do for rest of the week looks like this, two days a question for george gossage beginning tomorrow morning at 9:30 am eastern. we will start that at 9:30 over on c-span3. also coming up on wednesday more question for george gossage, there will wrap up the week on thursday with testimony from witnesses both for and against the nominee. if you didn't hear all of chuck grasses, and also toward the end, the "huffington post" with some of things chuck grasses that as a gavel out saying it will be a long day tomorrow, but an wednesday wants to wrap up the confirmation in wednesday night so quote i can get at 9 o'clock like i'd like to. also he said in his comments with reporters they hoping to wrap this up before the easter recess for the senate saying they will vote the judiciary committee itself will vote on april 3 on the nomination. so

blumenthal: thank you, mr. president. even in its early days, this administration has embarked on a course of foreign private interest entanglements and conflicts of interest that are truly staggering. just this morning the associated press reported that china has granted preliminary approval for 38 new trade marx -- they are -- trademarks, they are trump trademarks, paving the way for donald trump and his family to, quote, develop a host of branded businesses from hotels and golf clubs to bodyguard and other services. these reports are contained in public documents. all but three are in the president's own nameped and -- own name and the a.p. reports an official as saying that, quote, for all these marks to sail through so quickly and cleanly with no similar marks, no issues with specifications, boy, it's weird. now, the specks is that -- speculation is that these trademarks could not have been issued without approval by the ruling communist party that higher officials had to be involved and that awareness had to involve

president last month slamming blumenthal for lying about being in vietnam. michael mukasey, former attorney general, u.s. district court judge, it great to have you here. >> great to be here. lou: our judicial system is front and center again in the days evens. this is dominating, gorsuch, a man who has been so -- he has received so much applaud, i don't think that bloomenthal or sure. schumer become up with a the reason to destruction. >> they define -- i think that part of the problem that it has become, over the last several decades, highly relevant to the judges are because of the increasing tendency of supreme court to take cases that used to be settled politically, and the willingness of the politicians to let them do it. lou: gorsuch saying that judiciary must be independent. we have little who know about supreme court, it is locked up 4 to 4, and the -- we're about to see whic which way the balance will be tilted. he is supposed to be a conservative, but other nominees are supposedly conservative. >> i think that you can't judge him by what happened

and apoint has to provide an explanation to the american people. >> senator blumenthal, thank you soh for joining us. >> thank you. >> and just minutes from now, the attorney general jeff sessions will hold a news conference at the justice department. cnn's special live coverage continues in just a moment. if you have medicare parts a and b and want more coverage, guess what? you could apply for a medicare supplement insurance plan whenever you want. no enrollment window. no waiting to apply. that means now may be a great time to shop for an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. medicare doesn't cover everything. and like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, these help cover some of what medicare doesn't pay. so don't wait. call now to request your free decision guide. it could help you find the aarp medicare supplement plan that works for you. these types of plans have no networks, so you get to choose any doctor who accepts medicare patients. rates are competitive, and they're the only plans of their kind endorsed b