Judge Neil Gorsuch has responded to an allegation recently brought by one of his former law students that clouded his Supreme Court nomination days before hearings began.
Jennifer R. Sisk said in a letter Friday to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Gorsuch implied in class that many female job applicants unfairly manipulate companies by hiding plans to begin families.
Gorsuch was asked about the allegation Tuesday during the hearing by Sen. Dick Durbin, who said a second woman brought the allegation to the committee. In a letter provided to NBC News on Monday by a person helping with the Gorsuch nomination process, another former student wrote to the committee to refute Sisk's claims.
Gorsuch told Durbin that he was just reading questions in an ethics law textbook that asked what a woman would do if an older male partner asks if she's going to get pregnant soon. He said the answers are to tell the truth, lie or push back in some way.
Gorsuch added that he asked how many women had been asked questions like that, and many raised their hands. He is always "shocked" that women are still asked that question, the nominee said.
