The Federalist A broad coalition of lawmakers, public interest groups, and grassroots citizens rallied behind Amy Coney Barrett in her first day of hearings today for confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. According to senators on the Judiciary Committee evaluating her nomination, Barrett handled the first day of hearings with grace, humility, and tenacity.
“[Barrett] acknowledged the fact that so much of what the Democrats said today was bunk, and she did it with a smile, and she did it without having to use the word jackwagon or anything close to it,” Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said. “She did it by simply saying ‘Look, I’m not a policymaker. You’re not asking me to fill a policymaking role”
In a press call after the hearings paused midday, Republican senators on the committee noted that not one criticism of Barrett centered on her professional record or credentials, but only policy disagreements. Democrats worried that Barrett would threaten their legislative plans by faithfully applying the U.S. Constitution.
“You heard no challenge to her credentials, no challenge to her ability, no challenge to her record as a judge,” Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said. “She is an outstanding nominee with sterling credentials, a sterling record, and she is going to get confirmed by the United States Senate to the Supreme Court of the United States.”
While many of the senators and advocates on the call said they believed the first day of the hearings went well, they also acknowledged that Democrats made a planned effort to insert COVID-19 and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into the hearing. Senate Democrats complained in the hearing that Barrett may find their plans for socialized medicine unconstitutional.
“What they’re doing is projecting their fears onto the American people and they’re centering it on health care,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennesse said. “It’s not the ACA that they’re worried about. What they’re worried about is that having a constitutional jurist as the next justice on the Supreme Court would block them from implementing Medicaid for All.”
“It is striking also that Senate Democrats seem to recognize that their agenda when it comes to the Supreme Court is deeply, deeply unpopular with the American people,” Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas added.
Legislation that violates the powers granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, these senators noted, faces an obstacle in a nominee like Barrett, who is devoted to judicial impartiality and the nation’s supreme law, the Constitution.
Hundreds of people gathered outside of the Capitol building to rally for Barrett’s confirmation. Her supporters also noted Barrett would be making history as the first working mother with school-aged children to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
“There has never been a conservative constitutionalist woman on the court,” Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America said. “We are as conservative women an underrepresented group on the court and in the government and I’m very happy to have someone like her.”
“It’s been 100 years since women have been given our right to vote and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate that 100-year mark by adding another exceptionally well-qualified woman to the Supreme Court,” Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life added.
