Dianne Feinstein's first question to Amy Coney Barrett in her confirmation hearing: I was wondering if you could introduce us to your children and family.
Feinstein: Do you agree with Antonin Scalia's view that Roe v Wade was wrongly decided?
Barrett: I can't pre-commit or say, "yes, I'm going in with some agenda," because I'm not.
Barrett: I can't pre-commit or say, "yes, I'm going in with some agenda," because I'm not.
Back to praising Barrett on family stuff.
"You've got a lovely family. You understand all the implications of family life," said Feinstein. "I'm proud of you for that."
"You've got a lovely family. You understand all the implications of family life," said Feinstein. "I'm proud of you for that."
Barrett: "I have a general belief that racism is abhorrent."
Feinstein: "Well, I think we would all agree with that."
Where is this going.
Feinstein: "Well, I think we would all agree with that."
Where is this going.
Feinstein's time is up. Safe to say she did not land any blows on Barrett.
A lot of "ok I was hoping you would say this" about her views on a given subject (Roe, health care, LGBTQ rights), which judicial nominees really don't do.
A lot of "ok I was hoping you would say this" about her views on a given subject (Roe, health care, LGBTQ rights), which judicial nominees really don't do.
Progressives have been agitating about Feinstein not being up to the task of this confirmation hearing. They are furious + demanding Dems fight tooth and nail til the end, even if they can't win.
Feinstein's line of Qs just now was not tooth-and-nail-y. huffpost.com/entry/democrat…
Feinstein's line of Qs just now was not tooth-and-nail-y. huffpost.com/entry/democrat…
Leahy is up. Opens with more family talk.
"It's obvious your family is very important to you," he tells Barrett, noting he's been married 50 years. "Our children and our grandchildren are the most important things in our life. It's a privilege to see you introduce the family."
"It's obvious your family is very important to you," he tells Barrett, noting he's been married 50 years. "Our children and our grandchildren are the most important things in our life. It's a privilege to see you introduce the family."
Barrett says she does not know how many people rely on the ACA for health insurance (more than 20M).
Or how many people are covered under ACA's Medicaid expansion (~15M).
Or how many Americans have tested positive for COVID and survived (7.7M).
Or how many people are covered under ACA's Medicaid expansion (~15M).
Or how many Americans have tested positive for COVID and survived (7.7M).
"I have made no commitment to anyone -- not in this senate, not over at the White House -- about how I would decide any case," Barrett says re: Trump claiming his SCOTUS nominees will eliminate Roe v Wade or the ACA.
You know who'd be great on the Senate Judiciary Committee for a Supreme Court confirmation hearing?
@RepKatiePorter.
@RepKatiePorter.
Leahy touches on Barrett's record of pro-life positions: Do you think IVF is tantamount to manslaughter?
Barrett: I've never expressed a view on IVF. I can't express my personal views to the committee b/c my personal views don't have anything to do with how I would decide cases.
Barrett: I've never expressed a view on IVF. I can't express my personal views to the committee b/c my personal views don't have anything to do with how I would decide cases.
Durbin is up.
Immediately brings up that it's not Dems, but Trump's tweets, suggesting "this insulting notion" that she would violate her oath to further Trump's/GOP's agenda.
Immediately brings up that it's not Dems, but Trump's tweets, suggesting "this insulting notion" that she would violate her oath to further Trump's/GOP's agenda.
Durbin: What effect did the George Floyd video have on you?
Barrett: "Given that I have 2 black children, that was very very personal for my family." She says she + her 17-yo daughter "wept together in her room."
That kind of brutality "has been an ongoing conversation for us."
Barrett: "Given that I have 2 black children, that was very very personal for my family." She says she + her 17-yo daughter "wept together in her room."
That kind of brutality "has been an ongoing conversation for us."
Well look who's outside the Senate Hart building, where Amy Coney Barrett's hearing is taking place: Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the far-right, white supremacist group Proud Boys.
People are taking pics with him.
Pic via @demandjustice folks.
People are taking pics with him.
Pic via @demandjustice folks.
The committee just recessed til 12:45 -- but not before Lindsey Graham said they're on track to keep the hearing going until 9pm tonight. 😳
How are things going so far in Barrett's hearing?
Barrett is looking pretty strong. Dems haven't landed any tough Qs on her.
An odd moment: for all the attention on her and ACA, she didn't know how many Americans are insured under it. (It's more than 20M.)
Barrett is looking pretty strong. Dems haven't landed any tough Qs on her.
An odd moment: for all the attention on her and ACA, she didn't know how many Americans are insured under it. (It's more than 20M.)
Sen. Whitehouse is up.
He's been talking for 20+ mins straight without a single question.
He's been talking for 20+ mins straight without a single question.
Whitehouse using his time to detail the piles of dark money and agendas behind the groups (Judicial Crisis Network, Federalist Society) that put forward so many of Trump's judicial picks, including Barrett.
The aim of those groups is overturning Roe v Wade and ACA, he warns.
The aim of those groups is overturning Roe v Wade and ACA, he warns.
Ted Cruz's questions for Amy Coney Barrett:
"Do you speak any foreign languages?"
"Do you play any instruments?"
"Do the kids do piano lessons?"
"Do you speak any foreign languages?"
"Do you play any instruments?"
"Do the kids do piano lessons?"
Ted Cruz's final question:
"What advice would you give little girls?"
"What advice would you give little girls?"
Sen. Klobuchar is up.
"We need a bit of a reality check that this isn't normal right now," she begins, citing the 7.8M Americans who have tested positive for COVID and the 215K who have died.
"We shouldn't be doing this," she said. "We should be passing coronavirus relief."
"We need a bit of a reality check that this isn't normal right now," she begins, citing the 7.8M Americans who have tested positive for COVID and the 215K who have died.
"We shouldn't be doing this," she said. "We should be passing coronavirus relief."
This is the tone progressives have been waiting for.
Klobuchar: Should we take the president at his word when he says his nominee will "do the right thing" and overturn ACA?
Barrett: "I can't really speak to what the president has said on Twitter. He hasn't said any of that to me."
Barrett: "I can't really speak to what the president has said on Twitter. He hasn't said any of that to me."
Ben Sasse is up.
"Why is it important that the meaning of law doesn't change with time?"
"Why is it important that the meaning of law doesn't change with time?"
Oh my god Sasse is now having Barrett explain why judges wear black robes.
Barrett on election disputes coming before SCOTUS:
"I certainly hope that all members of the committee have more confidence in my integrity than to think that I would allow myself to be used as a pawn to decide this election for the American people."
"I certainly hope that all members of the committee have more confidence in my integrity than to think that I would allow myself to be used as a pawn to decide this election for the American people."
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
