(CNSNews.com) -- When asked whether President Trump should withdraw a federal judgeship nominee who compared a Catholic refusing to host a same-sex wedding to a KKK member invoking Christianity to racially discriminate, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) did not answer directly but said there would be a vote in the committee on the nominee and he intends to vote "no." 

 

On June 4 at the Capitol, CNSNews.com asked Senator Tillis, "judicial nominee Michael Bogren equated a Catholic family hosting a same-sex wedding on their farm to a KKK member engaging in racial discrimination. Do you believe President Trump should withdraw his nomination?"

 

Senator Tillis said, "Well, he's put it forward before the committee. We'll be having a vote on it and I believe there are members on both sides of it. I intend to vote no."

 

 

Tillis currently sits on the Senate Comittee on the Judiciary. He will be one of  22 members voting on whether to advance Bogren's nomination to the full Senate for a vote.

President Trump nominated Bogren, an attorney, to serve as a district court judge for the Western District of Michigan -- a lifetime appointment.

 

In a Judiciary Committee hearing on May 22, the nominee was challenged on arguments he made in an East Lansing case equating a Catholic family refusing to host a same-sex wedding on their property to a KKK member racially discriminating.

 

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) asked Bogren whether "a Catholic family's pointing to the teachings of their church is equivlent to a KKK member invoking Christianity."

 

 

After a testy back and forth, Bogren finally said yes, "I stand by those comparisons."

 

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has said he will not vote in favor of Bogren and has called on President Trump to withdraw his nominaiton. Sen. Hawley tweeted on May 31, "The DC Establishment wants people of faith to shut up. Our Constitution guarantees us more. I won’t support for a lifetime appointment to the bench someone who compares faithful Catholics to the KKK & ridicules them as haters."