WASHINGTON, D.C., October 26, 2020 – Today the Senate forced through the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett with a partisan vote of 52-48. Barrett refused to answer fundamental questions during her rushed confirmation process, including about her radical record, and Senate Republicans broke committee rules to speed ahead her nomination.
Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement:
“With the completion of the sham process to confirm Amy Coney Barrett, Republican lawmakers have cemented their conservative takeover of the Supreme Court and lower courts. They have blocked the nominees of Democratic presidents, weakened or broken Senate rules, and abandoned any pretense of scrutinizing the impartiality of their Federalist Society-approved nominees.
They have lied, cheated, and compromised democracy to secure control for the wealthy and powerful with every intention of turning back the clock on rights and protections for everybody else. They want to take health care away from millions of people, limit access to reproductive care based on zip code, and subject workers to harassment and discrimination. Too many bills to protect Americans and protect our democracy have died in McConnell’s legislative graveyard while Trump’s judges sailed right through.
Our fight, however, is far from over. We know that their control is illegitimate and far from full-proof. We know that their ideas are as unpopular as ever. And we know that liberals and progressives recognize as clearly as ever how vital the courts will be to advancing our more perfect nation.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg earned the nickname ‘Notorious RBG’ by refusing to compromise on what she knew was right. While Senate Republicans spent the last month knowingly violating her dying wish, we will honor her legacy by using every tool at our disposal to dismantle and disempower the conservative takeover of our courts.
Republican lawmakers have shown us all of the cards in their rigged deck. Now it’s time to show them everything we have up our sleeves. Game on.”