The groups argue that Gorsuch is “as extreme a nominee as we’ve seen in generations.” | Getty Liberals hit Democrats on Gorsuch after POLITICO story

Liberal groups are firing off yet another warning to Senate Democrats in the heated battle over Neil Gorsuch, urging the senators to ramp up their fight against President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee ahead of the confirmation hearings next week.

In response to a POLITICO story Tuesday detailing the caucus’ struggles to coalesce around a Supreme Court strategy, the coalition of progressive organizations — called the “People’s Defense” — issued a joint statement pressuring senators to battle harder against the nominee.


“Gorsuch's nomination represents an imminent threat to America's most cherished rights and most vulnerable citizens, and millions of Americans across the country are demanding that Democratic leadership use everything in their power to block it,” the coalition said. “We must be clear: this fight is not about defensive electoral politics, it's about our rights as Americans and our democracy as a whole."

The groups argue that Gorsuch, who currently sits on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, is “as extreme a nominee as we’ve seen in generations” and would be the “deciding vote” on Trump’s “most discriminatory, corporate-friendly policies.” They cite voting rights issues and Trump's executive order to bar immigrants from six Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States.

“Donald Trump promised to nominate justices to overturn Roe v. Wade and Judge Gorsuch appears to fit that bill,” the statement continued.

The organizations that signed onto the new statement were: NARAL Pro-Choice America, Alliance for Justice, American Federation of Teachers, CREDO, DailyKos, EveryVoice, Indivisible Project, MoveOn Civic Action, People For the American Way, Planned Parenthood, Stand Up America, UltraViolet and Working Families Party.

The "People's Defense" coalition will drop off boxes filled with stacks of petitions to all 100 Senate offices on Wednesday, with each petition containing about 850,000 signatures from those who oppose Gorsuch. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the liberal firebrand who announced her opposition to Gorsuch right after he was nominated, will kick off the event with a speech outside the Supreme Court.

"We totally understand that President Trump has an agenda designed to keep everyone distracted and reactive," NARAL's president, Ilyse Hogue, said. "What we need everyone to understand is that the American people really understand the special impact and significance of a Supreme Court nominee above and beyond having a lifetime effect on our rights, and we need them to respond accordingly."