What Is The Fascism Forever Club? Neil Gorsuch, Trump SCOTUS Pick, Started Group In High School

Back in high school, Neil Gorsuch — now Donald Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court — reportedly founded a group called the Fascism Forever Club. Gorsuch reportedly founded the group, apparently named with tongue firmly in cheek, as a freshman and led it through his senior year.

While at Georgetown Preparatory, an elite high school outside of Washington, D.C., Gorsuch led the group apparently aimed at fighting back against so-called liberal views of the administration, according to the British tabloid the Daily Mail. A yearbook reviewed by the paper reportedly noted "in political circles, our tireless President Gorsuch’s 'Fascism Forever Club' happily jerked its knees against the increasingly 'left-wing' tendencies of the faculty."

In a time when many are concerned about Trump and authoritarianism, the report was quickly seized upon up by other outlets while the phrase "fascism forever" trended on Twitter. Many reporters weighed in on the club, posting pictures of the yearbook.

WikiLeaks, the group led by Julian Assange that published the stolen emails of Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta before Election Day, even weighed in on the Fascism Forever club. Referencing a prior Gorsuch yearbook controversy, the group posted to Twitter, "Trump's Supreme Court pick who used famous WikiLeaks Kissinger quote founded and led a club called 'Fascism Forever'."

In a yearbook from his time at Columbia University, Gorsuch used a the Kissinger quote, "The illegal we do immediately, the unconstitutional takes a little longer." The quote had long been known, but first published as a part of records released by WikiLeaks in 2013.

Gorsuch, 49, was nominated by Trump this week to replace the seat once held by Antonin Scalia. It remains unclear how stark a confirmation battle the conservative judge will face after the GOP blocked Merrick Garland, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, from having a hearing. Trump suggested Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remove the 60-vote confirmation threshold if the Democrats obstruct Gorsuch's confirmation.

"If we end up with that gridlock, I would say, 'If you can, Mitch, go nuclear,'" Trump said.