Overview
- Lawmakers voted 5-2 to recommend Nielsen, with both Democrats on the committee opposing his nomination.
- Nielsen, who identifies as an originalist and textualist, declined to outline how he would analyze abortion restrictions or other pending issues.
- He said his former firm filed an amicus brief for 10 Utah Republican Party members supporting Amendment D, and he previously worked on transgender sports and abortion cases with former Justice Thomas Lee.
- Democrats questioned his role in politicized cases and his limited time on the bench, while Republican members praised his character and intellect.
- The decision comes during ongoing conflict between GOP legislators and the state’s high court over initiatives, redistricting and abortion, and confirmation would fill Justice John Pearce’s seat effective Dec. 1.