FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2020
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Attorney General Steve Marshall Sends Letter to Senate in Support of President Trump’s Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Steve Marshall today joined a coalition of 22 state attorneys general in sending a letter to the United States Senate urging the body to immediately hold a hearing and vote to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court.
In the letter, Attorney General Marshall and his colleagues wrote that the Senate will need little time to conclude that Judge Barrett will make an excellent Associate Justice due to her “unwavering commitment to a judicial philosophy that prioritizes restraint, humility, and respect for the rule of law.”
The coalition of attorneys general argued that Judge Barrett’s exemplary record makes it clear that she has the experience, qualifications, and judicial philosophy required to be an outstanding Associate Justice. They further noted that Judge Barrett graduated at the top of her Notre Dame Law School class, clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and has served with distinction on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals since 2017. They also recognized that Judge Barrett is widely considered an expert on constitutional law and a prolific scholar. Additionally, they underscored how history and precedent show that the Senate has ample time to review and consider Judge Barrett’s qualifications before voting to confirm her this session.
In the letter, the attorneys general stated that, in addition to Judge Barrett’s qualifications, her commitment to defending the rule of law makes her exceptionally fit to serve on the Supreme Court. As attorneys general whose duty it is to protect the principles of federalism, they know that Amy Coney Barrett is the right choice because her stated views of the law and opinions from the bench clearly show she will safeguard the Constitution. Therefore, the attorneys general conclude, the Senate must immediately fulfill its constitutional duty and promptly confirm Judge Barrett.
“Judge Barrett is self-evidently qualified to sit on the Supreme Court, and the Senate should act immediately to confirm her as associate justice,” said Attorney General Marshall. “And there is time to do so before the election. Justice O’Connor was confirmed in 33 days by a unanimous vote. Justice Ginsburg was confirmed in 42 days by a near-unanimous vote (only three senators voted ‘nay’). There is no reason Judge Barrett’s confirmation process should be any different.”
The letter was led by the Attorney General of Louisiana, where Judge Barrett was born and raised, and joined by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.
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