President Trump's Supreme Court litmus tests
CBN interview, January 27, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYTv9pz7oCk
TRUMP: I think evangelicals, Christians will love my pick. And will be represented very fairly.
CNN interview, June 28, 2015 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1506/28/sotu.01.html
TAPPER: Let me ask you about a few social issues...
TRUMP: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
TAPPER: ... just because I'm not -- they haven't been issues you have been talking about for several years. I know you're opposed to abortion.
TRUMP: Right. I'm pro-choice.
TAPPER: You're pro-choice or pro-life?
TRUMP: I'm pro-life. I'm sorry.
TAPPER: Pro-life. So, how important is that issue to you now? When President Trump picks Supreme Court justices, would that be a litmus test?
TRUMP: It is. It is.
Press conference at DC Trump Hotel, March 22, 2016 https://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/22/political-substance-abuse-donald-trumps-washington-press-conference/
QUESTION: Is there any sort of litmus test, for example past rulings on abortion, that you might be considering?
MR. TRUMP: Yeah. We’re gonna look at that. We’re gonna look at—it’s gonna be pro-life. We’re gonna look at that.
Third Presidential Debate, October 19, 2016 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/10/19/the-final-trump-clinton-debate-transcript-annotated/?utm_term=.dba19a0402ad
WALLACE: Mr. Trump, you're pro-life. But I want to ask you specifically: Do you want the court, including the justices that you will name, to overturn Roe v. Wade, which includes -- in fact, states -- a woman's right to abortion?
TRUMP: Well, if that would happen, because I am pro-life, and I will be appointing pro-life judges, I would think that that will go back to the individual states.
WALLACE: But I'm asking you specifically. Would you like to...
TRUMP: If they overturned it, it will go back to the states.
WALLACE: But what I'm asking you, sir, is, do you want to see the court overturn -- you just said you want to see the court protect the Second Amendment. Do you want to see the court overturn Roe v. Wade?
TRUMP: Well, if we put another two or perhaps three justices on, that's really what's going to be -- that will happen. And that'll happen automatically, in my opinion, because I am putting pro-life justices on the court.
CBS News interview, November 13, 2016 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-donald-trump-family-melania-ivanka-lesley-stahl/
Will you appoint-- are you looking to appoint a justice who wants to overturn Roe v. Wade?
Donald Trump: So look, here’s what’s going to happen-- I’m going to-- I’m pro-life. The judges will be pro-life. They’ll be very—
Lesley Stahl: But what about overturning this law--
Donald Trump: Well, there are a couple of things. They’ll be pro-life… But having to do with abortion if it ever were overturned, it would go back to the states. So it would go back to the states and--
Lesley Stahl: Yeah, but then some women won’t be able to get an abortion?
Donald Trump: No, it’ll go back to the states.
Lesley Stahl: By state—no some --
Donald Trump: Yeah.
Donald Trump: Yeah, well, they’ll perhaps have to go, they’ll have to go to another state.
Lesley Stahl: And that’s OK?
Donald Trump: Well, we’ll see what happens.
CNN Debate, February 25, 2016 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/25/the-cnntelemundo-republican-debate-transcript-annotated/?utm_term=.d749c767ffa4
HEWITT: Mr. Trump, Senator Cruz mentioned the issue that keeps me up at night, which is religious liberty. Churches, Catholic and Christian colleges, Catholic adoption agencies -- all sorts of religious institutions fear that Hobby Lobby, if it's repealed, it was a five-four decision, they're going to have to bend their knee and provide morning-after pills. They fear that if Bob Jones is expanded, they will lose their tax exemption.
Will you commit to voters tonight that religious liberty will be an absolute litmus test for anyone you appoint, not just to the Supreme Court, but to all courts?
TRUMP: Yes, I would.
MSNBC interview, February 17, 2016 http://info.msnbc.com/_news/2016/02/17/35127534-full-transcript-msnbcs-town-hall-with-donald-trump
SCARBOROUGH: Will you make upholding the Heller decision a litmus test in Supreme Court nominees --
TRUMP: Yes, I would --
SCARBOROUGH: You say?
TRUMP: Yes, I would. And I talk about it all the time.
SCARBOROUGH: So you won't nominate --
TRUMP: Absolutely --
SCARBOROUGH: Somebody to the Supreme Court unless they agree with Scalia on the Heller decision --
TRUMP: Correct --
SCARBOROUGH: That the second amendment means Americans --
TRUMP: Correct --
SCARBOROUGH: Have the right to keep and bear arms.
TRUMP: I give that commitment right now. Absolutely.
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