Legislators in All 50 States Support Coney Barrett’s SCOTUS Nomination

Judge Amy Coney Barrett speaks after being nominated to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump, at the White House in Washington on Sept. 26, 2020. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Lawmakers in all 50 states expressed support for the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

The state legislative leaders joined together to pen a letter to Senate leaders to urge the congressional body to conduct a prompt, thorough, and fair hearing process on Barrett’s nomination.

“President Trump has been transparent with the American people about who he has considered, and he was prompt in putting forth a nominee for your consideration. This was consistent with more than 200 years of precedent. Indeed, there have been more than two dozen Supreme Court vacancies during an election year or before an inauguration. In each of those cases, the sitting president made a nomination to the nation’s highest court,” they wrote in an Oct. 12 letter.

“We ask that you honor your responsibility to give Judge Barrett full and fair consideration and that you approve her nomination as soon as possible. We are confident that she is up to the task of undergoing the Senate’s hearing process and will demonstrate how qualified she is to sit on the highest court of our land.”

The group of legislators said Barrett, a federal judge, has “undeniable” qualifications, citing her time as a Supreme Court law clerk and as a legal scholar at Notre Dame.

The lawmakers said they respect the right of senators to vote for or against Barrett but called for “serious discussions about judicial philosophy and qualifications, rather than politics,” mentioning the circus-like atmosphere that unfolded during the vetting of President Donald Trump’s last nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

Among the lawmakers were Alaska Senate President Cathy Giessel, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, and New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay.

The letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

The Senate Judiciary Committee is starting several days of hearings on Barrett’s nomination on Monday.

The American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary said in a letter to Graham and Feinstein on Sunday that a majority of members determined Barrett is well qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. The rest said she is qualified.

Twenty-five Republican governors sent a letter to McConnell, Schumer, Graham, and Feinstein over the weekend calling for the Senate to confirm Barrett.

Amy Coney Barrett during a Senate confirmation hearing to be U.S. circuit judge on Aug. 4, 2017. Screenshot via Senate TV

“A brilliant jurist and respected legal scholar, Judge Barrett has been unwavering in her commitment to constitutional originalism. I enthusiastically join my fellow governors in calling on the U.S. Senate to promptly confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett,” Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said in a statement.

Four GOP governors did not sign the letter: Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Larry Hogan of Maryland, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, and Phil Scott of Vermont.

Senators have also received letters in opposition to Barrett’s nomination.

Over 5,000 attorneys across all 50 states called on the Senate to not confirm Barrett.

“The next Supreme Court justice will rule on issues concerning the rights of our clients, the rule of law, and for the well-being of every American for decades,” they wrote.

“That is why we so strongly oppose Judge Barrett’s confirmation. Examining her record, it seems clear that, if confirmed, she will vote to turn back the clock on scores of essential rights and protections in this country that are crucial to the lives of our clients and fellow Americans.”

Barrett’s nomination requires simple majority votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate. Republicans are aiming to confirm her by the Nov. 3 election.

The GOP extended its control of the Senate in the 2018 midterm elections by two seats. With its 53-47 majority, and most Republican senators saying they plan on voting to confirm Barrett, a confirmation is expected.