Historic precedent, the Constitution, and an ‘outstanding’ nominee are reasons the Senate should “immediately” take up the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to become a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, according to 22 Republican Attorneys General who have written to Senate leaders and leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee urging them to do just that.
In the letter, dated September 30 and addressed to Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the top cops from 22 states hope nothing will prevent Barrett from being confirmed and seated on the High Court.
They spelled out the reasons that that should happen. Their letter said:
Some have voiced a concern that the senators of the 116th Congress will not have enough time to adequately consider Judge Barrett’s qualifications. History and precedent show that to be untrue. Justice Ginsburg herself was confirmed 42 days after she was nominated. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s confirmation took 33 days, while Justice John Paul Stevens was confirmed 19 days after he was nominated. As the New York Times reported in 2016, “on average, a nominee has been confirmed, rejected, or withdrawn within 25 days.
“Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution clearly states the president shall have the power to nominate with the advise and consent of the Senate,” three of those AGs said in a video about the letter that was released over the weekend,
“We are confident that the Senate will need little time to conclude that Judge Barrett will make an excellent Associate Justice,” the letter said. “To begin with, she is exceptionally well-qualified. She earned a full-tuition scholarship to attend Notre Dame Law School, where she graduated at the top of her class.”
“She clerked for the late Justice Scalia, and after working in private practice, she returned to Notre Dame, serving as a law professor for fifteen years,” the letter said. “During that time, she gained a reputation as a leading constitutional law expert and a prolific scholar.”
“Since 2017, she has served with distinction as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit,” the letter said. “As impressive as her background is Judge Barrett’s unwavering commitment to a judicial philosophy that prioritizes restraint, humility, and respect for the rule of law.”
“We applaud the President for ignoring leftist hypocrisy and fulfilling his Constitutional responsibility without delay. Today, we urge the U.S. Senate to also immediately fulfill its Constitutional duty and quickly confirm Judge Barrett,” Louisiana Attorney General and chairman of the Republicans Attorneys General Association Jeff Landry said in a press release announcing their campaign.
The attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia, signed the letter.
As Breitbart News reported, a spokesperson for the judiciary committee said that, despite the news overnight that President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have contracted the coronavirus and Sen. Mike Lee, who is on the committee, is also quarantining because of a positive test result, the confirmation process is “full steam ahead.”
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