Does Neil Gorsuch Have Kids?

On Tuesday, after much speculation, President Donald Trump announced his Supreme Court pick. And given that his nominee, Neil Gorsuch, will likely sit on the bench for decades, many are curious about him. Does Neil Gorsuch have kids? He has two daughters, although that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be good for women's rights.

When Gorsuch accepted Trump's nomination, in a televised speech at the White House, he appeared with his wife, Marie Louise (who goes by Louise) at his side and thanked his daughters, saying,

I am so thankful tonight for my family, my friends and my faith. These are the things that keep me grounded at life's peaks, and sustain me in its valleys. To Louise, my incredible wife and companion of 20 years, my cherished daughters who are watching on TV... I cannot thank you enough for your love and for your prayers. I could not attempt this without you.

His daughters, Emma and Belinda, are both teenagers. In 2006, when Gorsuch was sworn into his role as a judge on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado, The Denver Post wrote about Emma and Belinda helping their father into his robes. At the time, they were 7 and 5 years old, respectively, and Emma told the newspaper that she thought the ceremony "was nice" while eating cookies. If her father is confirmed to the Supreme Court, 11 years later, it seems likely she'll be able to speak more at length about the experience. (Although maybe she'll still be eating cookies. Who knows? You do you, Emma.)

However, as noted, Gorsuch's sweet shoutout to his daughters during his speech on Tuesday does not mean he's got a great record on women's issues. When Gorsuch ruled on Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Inc., he ended up siding with the corporation, which did not want to cover contraception for women under the Affordable Care Act because of religious beliefs.

Gorsuch also wanted to rehear a case about Utah's governor defunding Planned Parenthood in light of misleadingly edited videos purporting to show the organization engaged in fetal tissue trafficking, seemingly to reverse the decision and decide in favor of the defunding. It seems almost certain that he would vote against abortion rights. Already, women's rights proponents like Cecile Richards, the head of Planned Parenthood, are speaking out against his nomination, and some Democrats are planning to filibuster.

At some point, Emma and Belinda may help their father into a new set of robes. However, it seems likely that won't happen without a fight.