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Trump officially names Amy Coney Barrett as SCOTUS nominee

President Donald Trump nominates Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, Sept. 26, 2020. (White House/Released)
September 26, 2020

President Donald Trump, on Saturday, announced his decision to nominate Amy Coney Barrett as his pick to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court left by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last week.

Trump walked out into the White House Rose Garden on Saturday alongside Barrett and her family. Speaking before the Rose Garden, Trump told Barrett, “I looked and I studied and you are very eminently qualified for this job. You are going to be fantastic.”

Barrett thanked Trump for his nomination and said, “I love the United States and I love the United States Constitution. I am truly humbled by the prospect of serving on the Supreme Court.”

Barrett is currently serving as a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She was nominated to the circuit judge position in May of 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in October of that year with a vote of 55-43 against.

Barrett had been considered a likely frontrunner in Trump’s considerations to fill the Supreme Court seat. She was one of the top contenders being considered by Trump in 2018 when he was filling another vacancy left on the Supreme Court after Justice Anthony Kennedy decided to retire from the court. Justice Brett Kavanaugh was ultimately selected to fill Kennedy’s vacancy, and his nomination was approved after a contentious confirmation battle.

Barrett was reportedly added to Trump’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees in 2017, shortly after her confirmation to the Circuit Court position.

A week prior to Ginsburg’s passing, Trump added 20 new names to his Supreme Court nominee list, including Barbara Lagoa, a circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Lagoa was thought to be another top contender throughout the last week as Trump considered his pick to replace Ginsburg, but Barrett ultimately won out the nomination.

Barrett graduated law school in 1997 at Notre Dame and previously served as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

If confirmed, Barret will be the third Supreme Court justice chosen by Trump, following Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh.

Barrett, who resides in South Bend, Indiana, has seven children, together with her husband, Jesse Berrett.

Praising her for her family, Trump said, “If confirmed, Justice Barrett will make history as the first mother of school-aged children ever to serve on the Supreme Court.”

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Barrett on Twitter. “Judge Amy Coney Barrett is an exceptionally impressive jurist and an exceedingly well-qualified nominee to the Supreme Court. A brilliant scholar. An exemplary judge. President Trump could not have made a better decision.”

U.S. Senate Republicans also shared in the endorsement of Barrett on Saturday.

“Supremely qualified. Constitutionalist. Mom of 7. Senate Republicans will give @realdonaldtrump’s nominee—Judge Amy Coney Barrett—full and fair consideration, and a timely vote on the Senate floor. #ACB,” Senate Republicans tweeted.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted, “Judge Amy Coney Barrett is well-qualified to serve on #SCOTUS, and I look forward to supporting her nomination. I also look forward to her confirmation hearing, where she’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate to the Judiciary Committee, the Senate & the American people that she’ll uphold the rule of law and interpret the Constitution according to its original meaning without fear or favor.”

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer opposed Barrett’s nomination, and tweeted, “A vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a vote to eliminate health care for millions in the middle of a pandemic.”

Democrats are fighting for Americans’ health care.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden similarly tweeted, “Today, President Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court — a jurist with a written track record of disagreeing with the Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act. Vote like your health care is on the ballot — because it is.”

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Biden’s vice-presidential running mate, tweeted, “Trump’s hand-picked successor to Justice Ginsburg’s seat makes it clear: they intend to destroy the Affordable Care Act & overturn Roe. This selection would move the court further right for a generation & harm millions of Americans. I strongly oppose Judge Barrett’s nomination.”