5 minute read

Controversy on Capitol Hill

Next Article
Call to Service

Call to Service

Following Supreme Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, President Trump’s nomination of a Conservative justice sparked dispute.

Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade that would not mean abortion is unavailable in America. It just means that it becomes a state prerogative again.”

Advertisement

Aside from the ever-lasting disputes over Barrett’s nomination, President Trump’s remarks on Ginsburg’s dying wish also sparked contention. Just days before she died, Ginsburg told her granddaughter her final wish was that she would not be replaced until a new president was elected.

Trump later mocked and dismissed the wish claiming that it was a false quote made up by Pelosi and other Democratic leaders.

“I don’t know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff and [Chuck] Schumer and Pelosi?” Trump told Fox News.

Ginsburg’s granddaughter, Clara Spera, later confirmed her late grandmother had, in fact, dictated the wish to her.

Despite this, on Oct. 15, Barrett was questioned for nearly 20 hours at her confirmation hearing by 22 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Barrett did not give many remarks concerning her view on major political issues including health care, abortion rights, voting rights and gun rights. Instead, she discussed how she approaches the law as an originalist who feels that as a justice, it is her job to adhere to written laws as opposed to interpreting them or making policy from the bench.

Democrats were, for the most part, unsatisfied with Barrett’s responses and attempted to pressure her into answering questions about major legal issues. Nonetheless, Barrett kept a calm and collected demeanor and would not let Democrats pin her down.

Judiciary Chairman Lindsay Graham praised Barrett and remarked that her confirmation was all but guaranteed.

“This is the first time in American history that we’ve nominated a woman who is unashamedly pro-life and embraces her faith without apology, and she is going to the court,” Graham said.

And on Oct. 22 the committee voted to approve the nomination.

With this shift in balance, the Democrats strongest tool in taking back the White House and Congress is court packing. The objective of court packing would be to add enough seats to the Supreme Court to overwhelm the Court’s current majority. Those seats would then be filled with judges who are in support of voting rights and are not likely to strike down progressive legislation.

Even if the Democrats win this year’s election, it remains unclear as to whether they will have enough votes to pack the court. Biden also mentioned that while he is not opposed to the idea, he isn’t advocating for it either. Court packing also brings substantial risks, the biggest being that Republicans could fight back by adding even more justices if they repossess authority of the elected branches.

Regardless, the contention following the Supreme Court nomination suggests this is an issue that will most likely remain prominent long after the election is over.

“This is raw politics,” Jillson said. “It’s not about right or wrong, it’s about what you can and cannot do.” FEATURES 13

Controversy on Capitol Hill

Story by Lucy Gomez // Design by Nick Drexler Supreme Court vacancy brings new wave of tension ahead of election On Sept. 18, the world mourned the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and “To jam this nomination through the Senate is an exercise in raw political power,” Biden said in a speech in Philadelphia. nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ginsburg. Barrett’s addition to the Supreme Court will shift its balance to the braced themselves for a whole new level of This is certainly not the first time this kind right, giving conservatives a 6-3 majority. conflict surrounding her replacement. of problem has existed. A similar situation “She’s a conservative law professor that

As Nov. 3 approaches, Americans have occurred during the 2016 election when Republicans think will serve their interest braced themselves for a momentous President Barack Obama nominated chief well on the court,” said Southern Methodist election following the coronavirus judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for University professor Cal Jillson. “Smart pandemic and protests over racial injustice. the District of Columbia Circuit, Merrick lady, but by no means the extraordinary

The recent death of Justice Ginsburg has Garland, to fill the seat left vacant by Justice genius that she is described as.” created even more political turmoil. When Antonin Scalia’s death. Majority Leader Trump praised Barrett’s achievements news of Ginsburg’s death surfaced, Democrats and Republicans alike “This is raw politics. and intellect, while Barrett herself paid homage to Ginsburg’s work each made it very clear of how and legacy. and when they preferred her seat to be filled. It’s not about right or “Justice Ginsburg began her career at a time when women Democrats advocated to wait until after the election was over to wrong. It’s about what were not welcome in the legal profession. But she not only broke fill the seat, but President Trump pushed to confirm a replacement you can and cannot do.” glass ceilings- she smashed them,” Barrett told an audience in the for Ginsburg before the election. White House’s Rose Garden. The opposing viewpoints created yet Mitch McConnell argued it was important Democrats argued the nomination could another issue for Congress as both parties for the Senate to wait until a new president devastate the Affordable Care Act and unleashed a rush of fundraising. had been elected before filling the seat. diminish women’s reproductive rights, due

“It’s been coming for years,” senior Danny Republicans on the Senate Judiciary to Barrett’s anti-abortion views. Michel said. “Everyone knew that as soon Committee refused to hold a hearing with Barrett would be the third anti-abortion as that seat was open, there was going to Garland, and Republican leaders agreed justice nominated by Trump after Justices be so much controversy over it.” with McConnell that the new justice should Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. In

Democratic presidential candidate and be appointed by the winner of the election. the position of judge, Barrett heard two former Vice President Joe Biden criticized The majority of America thinks the same abortion-rights cases and voted to limit the president’s decision to nominate should have happened this time. In a poll access in both cases. someone so quickly and appealed to Senate conducted by Reuters and Ipsos between “I think that if the Republicans were to Republicans to stop him from making a Sept. 19-20, 62 percent of Americans said strike down abortion, what that would decision that would drastically shift the the Supreme Court seat should be filled by mean is that it would return the initiative balance of power on the Supreme Court the winner of the election. to the states and many states would before the election. However, on Sept. 26, it seemed either outlaw or make abortion very 12 BAGPIPE Republicans had won when Trump difficult,” Jillson said. “Even if the Supreme

This article is from: