Amy Coney Barrett: A potential candidate for US Supreme Court Justice

CONTROVERSIAL CHARACTER

When officially appearing on the final shortlist of candidates for the position of Supreme Court Justice thatUS President Donald TrumpAmy Coney Barrett is considered to have a rather lackluster record and little experience. Even conservative figures have expressed concern about her prospects. Because Ms. Barrett was only appointed by President Donald Trump to a position on the 7th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017 and has only presided over the case in recent months. Along with her relatively young age, only 48 years old, these are the factors that critics are targeting, arguing that Ms. Barrett does not have enough experience and qualities to be appointed to a "lifetime" position as a Supreme Court Justice.

Portrait of Ms. Amy Coney Barrett - a promising candidate for the position of US Supreme Court Justice. Photo: South Bend Tribune

It should be noted that the US Supreme Court has 9 justices who are appointed for life, and are only replaced when they die or voluntarily retire. Meanwhile, one of Ms. Barrett's notable views on opposing abortion is a key issue of controversy in American culture. Some argue that, if selected, Ms. Barrett could reveal the qualities of an extremist, ready to end legal abortion in the US today. This is considered lame when Ms. Barrett will replace the late Justice Ginsburg - a famous icon of women's equality. Ms. Barrett has also been linked by critics to "People of Praise" - a fairly famous religious group but described as imposing and wrong.

On the contrary, supporters believe that Ms. Barrett will clearly distinguish between faith and the implementation of the Constitution and the Law. As Jay Wexler - a law professor at Boston University, who worked for the late Justice Ginsburg commented, "She (Barrett) is very smart, I believe, she will try her best to give the correct opinion in each decisive case."

Born and raised in New Orleans, Ms. Barrett is the eldest child of a lawyer who worked for Shell Oil. In 1994, she earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She and her husband, Jesse Barrett, a former federal prosecutor, both graduated from the prestigious University of Notre Dame Law School in Indiana. She then stayed on as a professor at the school for 15 years, starting at age 30.

US President Donald Trump and his top choice to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (left), who recently passed away. Photo: Taylor Marshall

Barrett then showed her personal qualities as a law clerk for Laurence Silberman at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, then as a clerk for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 1998-1999. In 2017, she first wore the robes of a judge on the 7th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2018, Barrett was also on the list of potential candidates that President Trump nominated to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. Although the position was later reserved forJudge Brett Kavanaugh.

A devout Catholic, Barrett has adopted pro-gun, anti-immigrant and anti-abortion views on the Chicago Federal Court of Appeals. She has also made no secret of her lack of experience. In an interview, Barrett cited Justices Clarence Thomas and John Roberts, who also had limited time on the bench before being nominated in 2009.

TENSIONAL RACE

Nearly three years after she was first named a Supreme Court nominee, Barrett is making a case for what’s known as “originalism,” in which judges attempt to decipher the original meaning of documents like the Constitution to determine whether someone’s rights have been violated. Many liberals have objected to this strict approach, arguing that it’s too rigid and doesn’t allow for the Constitution to evolve as it has.

However, Barrett's strong personality and opinions have been on display in many cases and debates, such as the 2019 argument in a gun rights case, or the landmark 1973 case affirming a woman's right to abortion. Conservatives also consider Barrett to have the strength, toughness and sharpness to be a female Supreme Court Justice.

Ms. Barrett has the strength, toughness and sharpness to become a female Supreme Court Justice. Photo: alphanewsmn

It was no coincidence that on September 21, just before his trip to Ohio for campaign events, President Donald Trump met with Ms. Barrett at the White House. Earlier, at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Mr. Trump also announced that he would nominate a woman to fill the vacant seat on the US Supreme Court to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

President Trump also said he would officially announce the nomination this weekend after the memorial service for Justice Ginsburg; at the same time, he called on the Senate to vote on the nomination before the election on November 3. However, Mr. Trump's nomination and the timing of the nomination are facing strong opposition fromDemocratic PartyFor their part, the Democrats now want this important election decision to be made after the upcoming November election.

It is understandable that Democrats are concerned that the balance of power at the Supreme Court will tilt in favor of the Republicans, when President Trump appoints another conservative judge after Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Even Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has accused Mr. Trump of abusing his power in hastily appointing Supreme Court justices; and that, “a constitutional crisis could push America down the abyss and deeper into darkness.” Moreover,Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosialso threatened to consider impeaching the President a second time if Mr. Trump still proceeds with choosing a replacement before the election takes place.

Portraits of nine US Supreme Court justices from October 2018 to September 18, 2020. Photo: Supreme Court of the United States

For his part, President Trump did not hesitate to declare that there would be a vote in the Senate before the election.presidential electionin November on this issue. This can be said to be the best opportunity for Mr. Trump to appoint another conservative judge to one of the 9 seats on the Supreme Court. In fact, the Supreme Court already has 5 conservatives and 4 liberals, including the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Therefore, choosing another conservative judge like Ms. Amy Coney Barrett probably won't have much impact on the balance of the Supreme Court, which is already leaning towards the Republicans.

However, whether Barrett is selected or not will still have a big impact on the attitudes and votes of voters before the upcoming tough presidential election in the US. Meanwhile, she will also be praised as a figure who can inherit the ideology of the conservative icon of Justice Antonin Scalia - with whom she has been associated for many years. At the age of 48, if selected, Ms. Barrett will also make history in the US Court industry as the youngest female judge and will hold a term that lasts for decades!