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Diaranson 28 october 2020

Barrett confirmed by Senate for Supreme Court, takes oath

from acquiring his tax re- presidency and their Senate
turns. And on Nov. 10, the majority at stake.
court is expected to hear the
Trump-backed challenge to Only one Republican —
the Obama-era Affordable Sen. Susan Collins, who is
Care Act. Just before the in a tight reelection fight in
Senate voted, the court sided Maine — voted against the
with Republicans in refusing nominee, not over any direct
to extend the deadline for ab- assessment of Barrett. Rather,
sentee ballots in Wisconsin. Collins said, “I do not think it
is fair nor consistent to have
Trump has said he wanted a Senate confirmation vote
to swiftly install a ninth jus- prior to the election.”
tice to resolve election dis-
putes and is hopeful the jus- Trump and his Republican
tices will end the health law allies had hoped for a cam-
known as “Obamacare.” paign boost, in much the
way Trump generated excite-
In a statement, Democratic ment among conservatives
presidential candidate Joe and evangelical Christians in
Biden tied Barrett’s nomina- 2016 over a court vacancy.
tion to the court to the Re- That year, McConnell re-
publican effort to pull down fused to allow the Senate
the Affordable Care Act. to consider then-President
He called her confirmation Barack Obama's choice to re-
“rushed and unprecedent- place the late Justice Antonin
ed” and a stark reminder to Scalia, arguing the new presi-
Americans that “your vote dent should decide.
matters.”
(AP) — Amy Coney Bar- est high court confirmation not linger in the chamber. During several days of public Most other Republicans fac-
rett was confirmed to the ever to a presidential election, A Rose Garden event with testimony before the Senate ing tough races embraced
Supreme Court late Mon- and the first in modern times Trump to announce Barrett’s Judiciary Committee, Barrett the nominee who clerked for
day by a deeply divided with no support from the nomination last month end- was careful not to disclose the late Scalia to bolster their
Senate, with Republicans minority party. The spiking ed up spreading the virus, in- how she would rule on any standing with conservatives.
overpowering Democrats COVID-19 crisis has hung cluding to some GOP sena- such cases. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.,
to install President Don- over the proceedings. Vice tors who have since returned said in a speech Monday that
ald Trump’s nominee days President Mike Pence de- from quarantine. She presented herself as a Barrett will “go down in his-
before the election and se- clined to preside at the Sen- neutral arbiter and suggested, tory as one of the great jus-
cure a likely conservative ate unless his tie-breaking “It’s not the law of Amy.” But tices.”
court majority for years to vote was needed after Demo- Pence's presence would have her writings against abortion
come. crats asked him to stay away been expected for a high- and a ruling on “Obamacare” But it's not clear the extraor-
when his aides tested positive profile moment. But Senate show a deeply conservative dinary effort to install the
Trump's choice to fill the va- for COVID-19. The vote was Democratic leader Chuck thinker. new justice over such opposi-
cancy of the late liberal icon 52-48, and Pence's vote was Schumer and his leadership tion in a heated election year
Ruth Bader Ginsburg po- not necessary. team said it would not only Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- will pay political rewards to
tentially opens a new era of violate virus guidelines of the S.C., the chairman of the Ju- the GOP.
rulings on abortion, the Af- “Voting to confirm this Centers for Disease Control diciary Committee, praised Demonstrations for and
fordable Care Act and even nominee should make ev- and Prevention, “it would the mother of seven as a role against the nominee have
his own election. Democrats ery single senator proud,” also be a violation of com- model for conservative wom- been more muted at the
were unable to stop the out- said Senate Majority Leader mon decency and courtesy.” en. “This is historic,” Gra- Capitol under coronavirus
come, Trump's third justice Mitch McConnell, fending ham said. restrictions.
on the court, as Republicans off “outlandish” criticism in a Democrats argued for weeks
race to reshape the judiciary. lengthy speech. During a rare that the vote was being im- Republicans focused on her Democrats were unified
weekend session he declared properly rushed and insisted Catholic faith, criticizing against Barrett. While two
Barrett, 48, will be able to that Barrett's opponents during an all-night Sunday earlier Democratic questions Democratic senators voted to
start work Tuesday, her life- “won’t be able to do much session it should be up to the about her beliefs. Graham confirm Barrett in 2017 after
time appointment as the about this for a long time to winner of the Nov. 3 election called Barrett “unabashedly Trump nominated the Notre
115th justice solidifying the come.” to name the nominee. pro-life.” Dame Law School professor
court’s rightward tilt. to the appellate court, none
Barrett, a federal appeals Speaking near midnight Sun- At the start of Trump’s presi- voted to confirm her to the
“This is a momentous day court judge from Indiana, is day, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, dency, McConnell engi- high court.
for America,” Trump said at a expected to take the judicial D-Mass., called the vote “il- neered a Senate rules change
primetime swearing-in event oath administered by Chief legitimate” and “the last gasp to allow confirmation by a In a display of party priori-
on the South Lawn at the Justice John Roberts in a pri- of a desperate party.” majority of the 100 sena- ties, California Sen. Kamala
White House. Justice Clar- vate ceremony Tuesday at the tors, rather than the 60-vote Harris, the Democratic vice
ence Thomas administered court to begin participating in Several matters are awaiting threshold traditionally need- presidential nominee, re-
the Constitutional Oath to proceedings. decision just a week before ed to advance high court turned to Washington from
Barrett before a crowd of Election Day, and Barrett nominees over objections. the campaign trail to join col-
about 200. Underscoring the political could be a decisive vote in That was an escalation of leagues with a no vote.
divide during the pandem- Republican appeals of or- a rules change Democrats
Barrett told those gathered ic, the Republican senators, ders extending the deadlines put in place to advance oth- No other Supreme Court
that she believes “it is the job most wearing masks, sat in for absentee ballots in North er court and administrative justice has been confirmed
of a judge to resist her policy their seats as is tradition for Carolina and Pennsylvania. nominees under President on a recorded vote with no
preferences.” She vowed, “I landmark votes, and applaud- Barack Obama. support from the minority
will do my job without any ed the outcome, with fist- The justices also are weigh- party in at least 150 years, ac-
fear or favor.” bumps. Democratic senators ing Trump’s emergency plea Republicans are taking a cording to information pro-
emptied their side, heeding for the court to prevent the political plunge days from vided by the Senate Histori-
Monday's vote was the clos- party leadership's advice to Manhattan District Attorney the Nov. 3 election with the cal Office.