Jamie Dupree

Barrett moves one step closer to Supreme Court bench

With Democrats boycotting the proceedings, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-0 on Thursday morning to send the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the full Senate, paving the way for a vote next Monday, insuring that Barrett will be on the Supreme Court before the November elections.


“I’ve been here a while, and I’ve never seen anyone more capable than Judge Barrett on the law,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who chided Democrats for boycotting the panel’s vote.


“That was their choice,” Graham said, as Democrats placed large poster board photographs of people in their seats, a reminder of their warning that Barrett will join conservatives next month in striking down the Obama health law.



The action came as Democrats continued to fume over the process, still angry about the refusal of Republicans to act on the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland in 2016.


“The United States Senate have never - never - considered a Supreme Court Justice this close to a national Presidential election,” said Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer, who ridiculed the GOP plan to vote on Barrett eight days before the November 3 elections.


“I am sure that if they had to, the Republican majority would confirm a Supreme Court Justice eight minutes before Election Day,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.



The nearest to an election the Senate had ever confirmed a Supreme Court Justice was late July in 1888, 1892, and 1916.

Jamie Dupree

Jamie Dupree, CMG Washington News Bureau

Radio News Director of the Washington Bureau