Amy Coney Barrett has been confirmed as the United States’ newest Supreme Court Justice. What happens now?
Summary
After a swift confirmation hearing, Amy Coney Barrett has been confirmed by a vote in the Senate.
- The Senate voted 52-48 yesterday in favor of the confirmation.
- Coney Barrett took the Constitutional Oath yesterday evening; she is expected to take the Judicial Oath later this week.
- Amy Coney Barrett is a conservative judge who many on the Left fear will re-hash liberal precedents set by previous Justices. Her confirmation will round out a 6-3 conservative majority in the Supreme Court.
- She was nominated to fill the seat left open by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
- Maintains a pessimistic view of the confirmation, but reports that everyone knew it was coming. The Atlantic calls her confirmation “inevitable,” and frames it as a political power grab ahead of an election cycle “Republicans may well lose.”
- Criticizes the circumstances under which she was confirmed. Daily Beast points out that Republicans “plowed through” numerous obstacles to confirm her against popular opinion, and the Los Angeles Times called her confirmation “hypocritical.” Huff Post says that the Republican party “weaponized White motherhood” to make her an attractive nominee and push her confirmation through.
- Covers the future of the Supreme Court with her on the bench. The New York Times reports that the Supreme Court is essentially owned by the Republican party; Huff Post writes that Donald Trump “gave the Conservative Legal Movement everything they ever wanted.” The Independent reports that it’s not too late to impeach
- Highlights the implications of ACB’s nomination on future key issues in America. New York Daily News writes that Coney Barrett has a duty to recuse herself from election-related cases and CNN reports that Republicans are already pushing for the Pennsylvania voting case to be heard in the Supreme Court. NPR discusses the navigation of a “post-Roe society” if abortion laws are changed or overturned under Coney Barrett’s tenure, and BBC News highlights the impact her nomination will have on the American gay community.
- Views the confirmation as a win for Republicans, and for President Trump specifically. Fox News points out that Barrett is Trump’s third Supreme Court nominee, “the most for any president since Ronald Reagan.” National Review points out that “all Democratic senators voted against Barrett’s confirmation.” In an op-ed for Fox News, John Woo writes that Barrett’s confirmation will have a far-reaching impact on American politics for decades to come.
- Criticizes backlash from the Left, reminding readers that pushing ACB’s confirmation was well within the rights of the Republican-controlled Senate. New York Post blasts Biden for criticizing the Senate’s swift nomination and confirmation. The Blaze reports Senator Maizie Hirono was unreasonably upset during the confirmation hearing, reporting that she said, “hell no” and “stormed off the Senate floor” during the vote.
- Reports that Democrats want to expand or pack the court. Daily Mail and Washington Times shared a Tweet from Alexandria Ocasio Cortes which called for a tenth Supreme Court justice, and said that Kamala Harris called the vote “illegitimate.” National Review says that Nancy Pelosi has also advocated for court packing, citing unrealistic justifications.
- Frames the confirmation as a win for feminism. Fox News reports that Conservative women in America are unfairly discriminated against; in an interview with Sean Hannity yesterday, Lindsey Graham called the confirmation “a concrete barrier being broken” for women’s equality.
Return to Freespoke 
© Evelyn Torsher, 2020
