Donald Trump announced Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the Supreme Court seat vacated by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The US Circuit Judge became Trump’s third Supreme Court pick following the nomination of Justice Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh who were subsequently confirmed as Justices of the apex federal court by the Republican Senate.
“Today it is my honor to nominate one of our nation’s most brilliant and gifted legal minds to the Supreme Court,” Trump said. “She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect, sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the Constitution — Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”
Donald Trump also noted that if confirmed, Amy Coney Barrett will become the first mother of school-age children to serve as a Justice in the Supreme Court.
TRUMP: “If confirmed, Justice Barrett will make history as the first mother of school age children to ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.” pic.twitter.com/mdNGo600Vr
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 26, 2020
During his speech confirming Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee, Donald Trump urged Democrats to not resort to personal attacks during the nomination process. “I urge all members of the other side of the aisle to provide Judge Barrett with the respect and dignified hearing that she deserves,” he said. The President was probably referring to the partisan mudslinging that arose after Justice Brett Kavanaugh was nominated where the the latter was accused of being a gang rapist and a sexual predator without any credible evidence.
Pres. Trump lauds Amy Coney Barrett’s qualifications ahead of an expected vote on her confirmation for the Supreme Court: “This should be a straight forward and prompt confirmation. Should be very easy, good luck. It’s going to be very quick.” https://t.co/4WcT8rfO2M pic.twitter.com/2FK8LwLZo0
— ABC News (@ABC) September 26, 2020
Amy Coney Barrett said that she realises that “this is a momentous decision for a president and if the Senate does me the honor of confirming me, I pledge to discharge the responsibilities of this job to the very best of my ability.” “I love the United States and I love the United States constitution. I am truly humbled by the prospect of serving on the Supreme Court,” she added. Barrett also said that she believes Justices are not lawmakers and she will deliver judgements based on the existing word of the law.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement on the nomination in which he said, “Judge Amy Coney Barrett is an exceptionally impressive jurist and an exceedingly well-qualified nominee to the Supreme Court. A brilliant scholar. An exemplary judge. President Trump could not have made a better decision.”
Rand Paul, Republican Senator from Kentucky, said, “Congratulations to Judge Amy Coney Barrett on her nomination to the Supreme Court. I believe she will make an excellent justice that will serve our country and Constitution well, and I look forward to seeing her confirmed soon.” Senator Ted Cruz also confirmed that he intends to confirm her nomination to the Supreme Court.
Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota, Senator Mike Braun from Indiana and few other Republican senators have already hinted sufficiently that they intend to vote to confirm her as the next Supreme Court Justice. Most significantly, however, Senator Mitt Romney, who has had his differences with Donald Trump, commended Amy Coney Barrett as a “highly-respected jurist with distinguished legal and academic credentials”.
Democrat Presidential nominee Joe Biden, meanwhile, as expected, opposed the nomination. He said in a statement, “The Senate should not act on this vacancy until after the American people select their next president and the next Congress.” His pick for Vice President, Senator Kamala Harris, too voiced similar sentiments. She said, “Trump’s hand-picked successor to Justice Ginsburg’s seat makes it clear: they intend to destroy the Affordable Care Act & overturn Roe. This selection would move the court further right for a generation & harm millions of Americans.”
Along expected lines, Democrat senators are coming out in vocal condemnation of Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. The confirmation process is expected to be toughly contested with the votes divided largely along partisan lines. There are a few Republican Senators who could flip and thereby deny Amy Coney Barrett a position in the Supreme Court. While the process is expected to be a pitched battle, Mitch McConnell insists that he has the votes necessary to confirm her to the US Supreme Court. Things will become clear only after the votes are settled in the days to come.
