She will face hostile questions from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee….
Unless something falls out of the sky against her?
It won’t matter….
A deeply divided Senate Judiciary Committee kicked off four days of contentious confirmation hearings on Monday for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, drawing battle lines that could reverberate through the election.
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and the committee’s chairman, left little doubt about where the proceedings were heading, gaveling open “the hearing to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court,” rather than saying it was a hearing to consider her nomination.
“This is probably not about persuading each other unless something really dramatic happens,” Mr. Graham added a short time later. “All the Republicans will vote yes, all the Democrats will vote no.”
Democrats arrived ready to go on the offensive, portraying Judge Barrett’s nomination as an election-season power grab by Mr. Trump and Republicans and rank hypocrisy after the yearlong blockade in 2016 against President Barack Obama’s high court nominee, Merrick B. Garland. They characterized Judge Barrett as a conservative ideologue who would overturn the Affordable Care Act, invalidate abortion rights and side with the president in any legal disputes arising from the Nov. 3 election.
“We are now just 22 days from the election, Mr. Chairman. Voting is underway in 40 states,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the panel. “Senate Republicans are pressing forward, full speed ahead, to consolidate the court that will carry their policies forward with, I hope, some review for the will of the American people.”
Republicans tried to deflect those charges and redirect attention toward Judge Barrett’s sterling résumé and compelling personal story. But their goal above all else was speed — pushing through the confirmation before Election Day — and it appeared that they had the votes to install her and cement a 6-to-3 conservative majority on the court before the end of October….
image…The Hill
jamesb says
FYI….
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told reporters on Monday that Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s religious beliefs should not be part of her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
“No, I don’t think there should be any questions about her faith,” the former vice president said….
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