Thread by @LambdaLegal

Today begins Senate confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

Amy Coney Barrett’s record is filled with hostility to civil rights and red flags that should disqualify her.

And yet, here we are.

#OurCourt #BlockBarrett

As @SenFeinstein notes, President Trump has promised to nominate a Supreme Court Justice who would dismantle the Affordable Care Act and health care rights for millions of people across the country.

This is exactly why he nominated Amy Coney Barrett.

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

By the way, you can watch the live stream here ➡️ c-span.org/video/?476315-…

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

.@SenFeinstein further notes that we're 22 days out from the election. People are ALREADY VOTING in 40 states.

The decision to ram through Amy Coney Barrett's nomination right now is indefensible.

The integrity of the Supreme Court is in jeopardy.

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

.@ChuckGrassley accuses the opposition of "court packing."

This is a red herring. It's a distraction.

The threat here is what decades of Amy Coney Barrett's extremist ideology will do to civil rights and the legacy of the Supreme Court.

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

The Senate should NOT be prioritizing confirming an anti-health care Supreme Court Justice DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC (or ever). It should, if anything, be passing #COVID19 relief.

Thank you @SenatorLeahy for stating what we thought was the obvious.

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

👀

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

Here's a handy place to watch today's #SCOTUSHearing without having to leave Twitter.

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt twitter.com/i/events/13146…

Imagine being so dead set on getting an anti-health care Justice onto the Supreme Court that you go to her hearing in person without a mask on 10 days after testing positive for #COVID19. 🙃

Nice to see you @SenMikeLee!

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

We agree @SenMikeLee. The Supreme Court should not be a political body. It should be nonpartisan and impartial.

So why are you trying to stack it with a partisan, radical extremist?

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

This.

https://twitter.com/civilrightsorg/status/1315657113411235843

.@tedcruz accuses opposition of focusing on criticizing this process because we have no basis to criticize Amy Coney Barrett.

Except that we and so many other organizations have been exposing her dangerous record since 2017...

➡️ lambdalegal.org/in-court/legal…

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

.@amyklobuchar: "74% of Americans believe we should be working on a COVID relief package right now instead of this."

The House first passed the HEROES act 150 days ago.

Senate, you up?

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

"Judges should be impartial."

"Your faith is none of the government's business."

@BenSasse spending a lot of time arguing about courts not being political bodies and religious views not being instilled in law, and yet that's what this nomination would do. 🤔

#BlockBarrett

"Judicial activism is the idea that judges get to argue for or advance policies."

We agree, @BenSasse! Judicial activism is unacceptable!

So, let's not confirm a Supreme Court Justice who would do just that.

#BlockBarrett #OurCourt

Just leaving this here for no reason whatsoever.

#SCOTUSHearing #BlockBarrett

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/614472830969880576

.@ChrisCoons: "Obergefell v. Hodges, which made marriage equality the law of this land, could be overruled. Just a day after we celebrated #ComingOutDay nationally, stripping #LGBTQ individuals of what Justice Kennedy called 'equal dignity in the eyes of the law.'"

#BlockBarrett

The Supreme Court can only be effective if it has the respect and confidence of the people of this country.

Packing it with extremists like Amy Coney Barrett does the opposite. It delegitimizes it.

#BlockBarrett #SCOTUSHearing

"Judges cannot and should not be policymakers."

Again, we agree with you @ThomTillis.

That's why Amy Coney Barrett cannot and should not sit on the Supreme Court.

#BlockBarrett #SCOTUSHearing

.@maziehirono refers to what's happening today as a "hypocritical, illegitimate process."

She's not wrong.

#BlockBarrett #SCOTUSHearing

"No one should have to worry about whether they can afford care that could save their life." —@maziehirono

Amy Coney Barrett’s supporters know they can count on her to rule against the ACA. Any claims that she would have an open mind are a sham.

#BlockBarrett #SCOTUSHearing

Striking down the ACA would deprive 20 million+ people of health insurance, jeopardize the health of 130 million+ people with preexisting conditions (including millions of #COVID19 survivors), and hinder efforts to end this public health crisis.

#BlockBarrett #SCOTUSHearing

"Instead of doing anything to help people who are struggling right now, we are here." —@CoryBooker

The fact that a hearing for an anti-health care nominee is being prioritized DURING A PANDEMIC is a horrific betrayal of the trust we put in our elected officials.

#BlockBarrett

.@CoryBooker: "Nothing about this today is normal. This is not normal. What is going on in America today — in the midst of a deadly pandemic and an ongoing election — having a rushed Supreme Court nomination hearing is not normal."

#BlockBarrett #SCOTUSHearing

.@KamalaHarris: "Over 9 million Americans have already voted and millions more will vote while this illegitimate committee process is underway."

Ramming through Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination is indefensible. It jeopardizes the integrity of the Court. #BlockBarrett

"Obergefell v Hodges, which recognized that love is love & marriage equality is the law of the land. The US Supreme Court is often the last refuge for equal justice when our Constitutional rights are being violated."

@KamalaHarris names #WhatsAtStake & why we must #BlockBarrett.

Let the record reflect this statement from @SenJohnKennedy:

"I know it hurts to be called a racist. I know it hurts to be called a white colonialist."

We've been trying to figure out what to say to accompany this but are at a loss. That may speak for itself.

#SCOTUSHearings

"I believe Americans of all backgrounds deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our Constitution & laws as they were written."

Let's remember who did *not* have rights when the Constitution was written — Black people, women, LGBTQ people, etc... 🙃

#BlockBarrett

Just some things Amy Coney Barrett has done/said because she believes in Originalism:

➡️ Refused to acknowledge marriage equality as legal precedent
➡️ Ruled in favor of abortion restrictions
➡️ Noted it would require reversing Brown v. Board

#BlockBarrett

And that's a wrap on day one. We'll be back at it for the rest of this week covering Amy Coney Barrett's #SCOTUSHearings.

Don't forget: Her record is hostile to #LGBTQ people, women, Black people, & others. Here's what to look out for.

#BlockBarrett lambdalegal.org/blog/20201012_…