By Jesse Stiller
Nation & World Editor
President Donald Trump has nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill in the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death.
On Sept. 26, Trump made the announcement in a widely-attended ceremony in the Rose Garden, according to The New York Times, only one week after Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death.
“Judge Barrett is known for her keen intellect, piercing legal analysis, and generous spirit,” The White House said in an additional statement.
In her speech in the ceremony, Coney Barrett paid respects to her mentor, late Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, also alluding to his judicial philosophy while on the Court.
“His judicial philosophy is mine, too — a judge must apply the law as written,” Barrett said, according to The New York Times. “Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold.”
According to BBC, her past rulings on abortion and gun rights cases have made her a “reliable” vote for right side of the court if she were to be confirmed due to her “originalist” interpretations of the Constitution.
Barrett graduated from Notre Dame Law School and began clerking for Associate Justice Scalia shortly after, as reported by BBC. President Trump appointed Barrett to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Chicago, in 2017.
The circuit judge has recently come under attack for affiliation with a religious group, People of Praise, that ordained men as the “‘head’ of the family,” according to the Associated Press. Some have responded to the criticism, accusing those of bigotry and anti-Catholicism behavior.
Senate Democrats have already begun to form opposition against the quick nomination, according to NBC News, with some arguing that Barrett’s views on abortion and religion as extreme and could potentially reverse decisions that may threaten established policies.
Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal put a statement on Twitter, stating that the nomination process was an “illegitimate sham” and warning of consequential decisions in key cases if she was confirmed.
“Judge Barrett’s views would harm real lives — real people — in real ways, from children with pre-existing conditions to women who just want to be able to decide when & how to have a family,” Blumenthal tweeted.
http://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal/status/1309969995502432256
According to Politico, Senate Republicans, including South Dakota Sen. John Thune, have threatened to ram through more judges and executive nominees if Senate Democrats attempt to delay a vote.
“‘There’s a price to pay’,” Thune said, according to Politico.
As of now, the confirmation vote of Judge Barrett is uncertain as an outbreak of Covid-19 cases sweeps through the capital, even infecting Senate Judiciary Committee members Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, according to The New York Times.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, despite the situation, has stated on Twitter that the Judiciary Committee plans to meet and commence the hearings on Barrett on Oct. 12 using a hybrid method where some senators meet in-person and others tune in virtually.
http://twitter.com/senatemajldr/status/1312441098757836801?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
“The Committee has utilized this format successfully for many months while protecting the health and safety of all involved,” McConnell tweeted. “Certainly all Republican members of the committee will participate in these important hearings.”
