By Samantha Fenlon

President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch as his pick for the Supreme Court in a prime-time address Tuesday night.

“The qualifications of Judge Gorsuch are beyond dispute,” said President Trump.

If confirmed, Gorsuch would replace the seat left vacant last year after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

The 49-year-old is currently a judge on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“I pledge that if I am confirmed I will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the constitution of the United States,” said Judge Gorsuch.

Following the announcement Tuesday night, Rhode Island’s top were quick to voice concern.

“The most important question President Trump’s nominee will face is where he will stand on the special interest politics that has stricken the Court,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse in a statement. “Often, the Gang of 5 ignored conservative judicial doctrine to achieve political outcomes benefiting a ‘usual suspects’ list of special interests active before the Court.  This has to stop, and Judge Gorsuch must pledge to stop it.”

Senator Whitehouse is on the Senate Judiciary Committee that will be tasked with questioning the newly appointed Supreme Court Justice.

Fellow Senator Jack Reed is also expressing concern. Issuing a statement reading in part; “Judge Gorsuch’s record in the lower court suggests he could impose significant new constraints on civil liberties, women’s rights and workers’ rights, and roll back consumer protections and clean air laws.  I am concerned that Judge Gorsuch has a tendency to favor the interests of big corporations and special interests over every day Americans.”

Congressman Jim Langevin posing quite a few questions Tuesday night. He issued a statement as well. Below is an excerpt:
“In announcing the pick, President Trump said he chose a jurist in the mold of the late Antonin Scalia. But while I respected Justice Scalia as a jurist, I also profoundly disagreed with his views on the Constitution. I do not agree that corporations have a right to speak on our elections. I do not agree that love between members of the same sex should have attached to it any ‘moral opprobrium.’ And I certainly do not agree that the Affordable Care Act, which has given millions of Americans health care, is unconstitutional. If Judge Gorsuch shares these extreme views, I would be seriously concerned about his ability to impartially interpret the law, free from the tinge of politics.”.