On October 26, 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed for the Supreme Court. She replaced Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away on September 18, 2020, at 87 years old, after serving 27 years on the Supreme Court. The Senate voted in her favor 52-48.
This nomination has raised eyebrows and caused controversy between many people, and political parties. Democrats have questioned Barrett’s experience, and her nomination being eight days away from the presidential election.
In March of 2016, the Senate did not vote on Barack Obama’s suggestion to nominate Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. This is because the Republican Party stated the nomination would be too close to the 2016 presidential election. Barrett was nominated 8 days before the 2020 presidential election. “I think it is kind of suspicious,” Hayes senior Sam Schumacher said. “But if they got the nomination through, cheers to that.”
Many people are concerned about Barrett’s experience in the courts. Barrett attended Rhodes College, and then attended Notre Dame Law School. During law school, she had done no pro bono work, work that is done for the public good at no or very little cost. After finishing school, she has had 3 years of experience within the appeals court in Chicago.
“I’m not a fan of the fact she has only been a judge for 3 years,” senior Bobby Wolf said. “I don’t think that’s super qualified.”
Many women in the United States are concerned about their abortion rights, and their access to Planned Parenthood. This is because Barrett signed an anti-abortion paper in 2006.
According to Adam Liptak’s New York Times article, groups opposing abortion have also shown their support to Barrett. Donald J. Trump has also vowed to appoint justices to overrule Roe v. Wade (1973 Abortion Rights Act).
In Stephanie Mencimer’s Mother Jones article, she states that “in 2019, Barrett wrote a unanimous three-judged panel decision making it easier for alleged men to have committed sexual assaults on campus to challenge the proceedings against them.”
The United States has yet to see Barrett participate in the Supreme Court, and what will happen within the court after the presidential election.