Law professor Amy Coney Barrett was only first appointed to the bench in 2017.
Washington, United States:
President Donald Trump intends to appoint Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, US media reported on Friday, which, if confirmed, would cement a strong Conservative majority in the high court.
The president announced this week that he will announce his choice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Saturday, and various media have said it will be the 48-year-old Tory judge.
Citing sources close to the process, various outlets, including the New York Times and CNN, said Trump would appoint Barrett.
If upheld, the court would move to a conservative 6-3 majority.
Asked by reporters if Barrett will actually be appointed, Trump replied, “I didn’t say that.”
But he added that he had already made a decision “in my mind” and that Barrett is “exceptional”.
Media reports noted that the mercurial Trump could still change his mind ahead of the official announcement, scheduled for 5 p.m. (9 p.m. GMT) on Saturday.
Democratic opponents, led by presidential candidate Joe Biden, have demanded that Republicans desist from replacing liberal icon Ginsburg – who died last week – until the end of the November 3 election, after determining whether Trump would get a second term.
Leaders of the Republican majority in the Senate, which is responsible for upholding Supreme Court candidates, said they had enough support to hold a nomination vote either before the election or at worst during the “lame duck” session between the election and the inauguration of the next president in January.
“We will definitely do that this year,” said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
Barrett, a law professor, was only first appointed to the bench in 2017. A deeply conservative Catholic, she is seen as hostile to abortion rights – a key issue for many Republicans.
The left-wing government watchdog Accountable US was not impressed with the announced choice. “Barrett has proven time and time again that protecting businesses – not people – is his top priority,” said group president Kyle Herrig.
In 2018, the mother-of-seven was on Trump’s shortlist for a seat vacated by the retirement of Judge Anthony Kennedy, a post ultimately held by Brett Kavanaugh after a fierce confirmation battle.
A complete bench
Earlier on Friday, Ginsburg became the first woman and the first Jewish person to lie in the state on the U.S. Capitol, where justice officials, U.S. lawmakers and U.S. dignitaries, including Biden, paid tribute to her.
Ginsburg’s last wish, reportedly passed on to his granddaughter, was for his seat to be decided by whoever wins the next election.
Trump questioned the veracity of this in an interview on Monday, suggesting it could have been a ploy composed of Democratic leaders.
Republican leaders have said if the fate of a contested election rests with the Supreme Court, they will need a full bench of judges to avoid a deadlock.
Trump on Wednesday refused to clearly guarantee a peaceful transfer of power in the event of loss, sparking outrage from Democrats.
Democratic leaders have vowed to do everything in their power to prevent confirmation of a new justice ahead of the election, but with a Republican majority of 53-47 in the Senate, there is little they can do for it. Stop.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
