U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Barrett Avoids Specific Questions On Abortion And Other Contentious Issues

From the Florida Phoenix:

By Danielle J. Brown
October 13, 2020

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett dodged detailed questions on landmark abortion cases that ensure women can have access to abortions.

In what was an expected line of questioning on the second day of her confirmation hearing before the U.S. Committee on the Judiciary, Barrett said she has not made any commitment on how she would rule in any case if she is confirmed. But she did describe how she approaches cases as a judge.

“I interpret the Constitution as a law… and I understand it to have the meaning that it had at the time people ratified it,” said Barrett. “That meaning doesn’t change over time and it’s not up to me to update it or infuse my own policy views into it.”

Barrett repeated that she has “no agenda” to push as a judge and that she would follow the language of the law.

Barrett is a Catholic, which has come up in discussions by lawmakers on her faith. Many Catholics are against key abortion rights.

California Senator Dianne Feinstein repeatedly grilled Barrett on landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases such as Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, trying to gather any hint that she would vote in favor or against a challenge to these cases.

But Barrett wouldn’t budge, and that seemed to frustrate Feinstein.

“My vote depends a lot on these responses, because these are life and death situations for people,” Feinstein said.

Barrett avoided taking a stance on several other contentious topics, such as LGBTQ rights, including same-sex marriage.

Another issue that came up repeatedly during both days of the hearing was about whether the U.S. Supreme Court could challenge the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare. Some senators and other people fear that Obamacare could be at risk if Barrett is confirmed.

Her confirmation, if approved, would create a conservative supermajority in the U.S. Supreme Court.

“My personal views don’t have anything to do with how I would decide cases,” Barrett said, “and I don’t want anyone to be unclear about that.”

During the hearing Tuesday, the Republican National Committee stated that “Democrats are continuing to play politics with our nation’s highest court,” according to an email from Emma Vaughn, the RNC’s Florida press secretary.

“Everyone who knows Judge Barrett has nothing but praise for her intellect, character, and legal acumen. Democrats are more interested in partisan attacks and fear mongering than their constitutional duty to confirm Judge Barrett.”

This story was originally published by the Florida Phoenix. For more stories from the Florida Phoenix, visit FloridaPhoenix.com.