Ed Pagano Quoted in E&E Daily on Gorsuch Hearings

Akin Gump public law and policy partner Ed Pagano has been quoted in the E&E Daily article “Dems likely to probe Gorsuch environmental views this week,” regarding the confirmation hearings that begin this week for Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch.

The article reports that environment and energy issues will likely not be the main focus of the hearings, though Democratic senators may make them more of a priority than in prior Supreme Court confirmation hearings, given the Trump administration's plan to roll back many Obama-era regulations.

Pagano, who worked in the Obama administration as the White House liaison to the Senate, said this week’s hearing in front of a polarized committee could shift attention back to Gorsuch, whose nomination, the article notes, has been overshadowed somewhat by other issues, such as health care reform, President Trump’s travel ban and charges of Russian interference in the U.S. election.

“I think there’s limited oxygen, and it just seems like, for the Supreme Court, this has not gotten as much attention as other Supreme Court nominations get,” Pagano said. “It’s been a sleeper so far. Is it going to stay a sleeper after the hearings or not?”

As for the issues likely to come up, Pagano said, “Democrats are going to focus on how fair [Gorsuch] will be, in their view, on all litigants in the courtroom. Does he have a natural tendency to side with corporations, with the powerful, versus working-class folks?”