Judge Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Committee, October 12, 2020. -
/ SIPA
The fight between Democrats and Republicans for the allocation of the vacant seat on the US Supreme Court has begun.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, appointed on September 26 by Donald Trump to succeed Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, will suffer a fire on Tuesday on the second day of her hearing in the Senate.
Democrats want to do everything to destabilize this 48-year-old conservative magistrate.
Accompanied by six of her seven children, this fervent Catholic presented herself to the Senate on Monday, charged by the Constitution to endorse her appointment.
On this occasion, the 22 members of the legal commission displayed their opinions on the opposite side of his candidacy.
A "brilliant" lawyer for the Republicans
The Republicans, in the majority in the upper house, have praised a "brilliant" lawyer and an "exceptional" woman, who will know how to defend religious freedoms.
Democrats, who have few levers to block its confirmation, denounced a hearing "irresponsible" in the midst of a pandemic.
Joe Biden supporters have also accused Donald Trump of despising voters and denounced an “illegitimate” confirmation process so close to the presidential poll.
In a country where only a third of the population is atheist or without religion, the Democrats were however careful not to attack the magistrate on her religious convictions which, according to her detractors, nevertheless guide her reading of the law.
"His faith must not be taken into consideration," insisted Joe Biden, himself a practicing Catholic, during a trip.
Defense of Obamacare
His running mate, Kamala Harris, like the other Democrats on the committee, opted for another angle of attack: the defense of the law on health insurance.
Republicans have tried on several occasions to abolish this so-called “Obamacare” law.
However, one of their appeal must be examined in November by the Supreme Court which, according to the Democrats, risks overturning it if Judge Barrett participates in the decision.
Monday, the magistrate swore "to apply the Constitution and the laws as they are written", faithful to the legal doctrine known as "textualism" very popular with the most conservative circles.
The latter indeed accuse the Supreme Court of having created new rights, such as that of women to have abortions or homosexuals to marry, which did not appear in the minds of the founding fathers of the country.
Trump plays the future of his ideas
Donald Trump is therefore banking on his appointment to galvanize these right-wing voters.
“We are already at three!
", He declared Monday evening during a meeting in Florida, in reference to the two other conservative judges, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh whom he brought to the Supreme Court since 2016. If Judge Barrett them effectively joined, the temple of law will have six conservative judges out of nine, a solid majority that could perpetuate Donald Trump's impact on the United States beyond his presidency (s).
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