The Senate on Tuesday confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a move widely criticized by advocacy groups.
Three Democrat senators joined republicans to confirm Amy Coney Barrett with a 55-43 vote.
Barrett is a Catholic Notre Dame law professor who has criticized Obama’s birth control mandate for being “a grave violation of religious freedom” and once questioned the controversial Roe V. Wade ruling legalizing abortion, according to The Hill.
Senate Democrats attacked Barrett for her Catholic faith, The Washington Examiner reported, expressing their belief that Barrett would put her personal bias before the law.
“Today’s vote continues the Senate Republicans’ record of rubber stamping all of President Trump’s judicial nominees,” Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said in a statement.
Democrats expressed concern that Barrett, because of her strong religious faith, will rule against LGBT rights and women receiving access to abortion.
Among the more outspoken opponents to Barrett’s confirmation was Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who told Barrett “the dogma lives loudly within you” while questioning her about her Catholic faith.
The president of Notre Dame, Rev. John Jenkins, called out Feinstein in Barrett’s defense.
“It is chilling to hear from a United States senator that this might now disqualify someone from service as a federal judge,” Jenkins wrote in an open letter.
But Barrett denies she would let her personal beliefs get in the way of ruling on the law.
“If you’re asking whether I’m a faithful Catholic, I am,” Barrett said, “although I would stress that my own personal church affiliation or my religious belief would not bear on the discharge of my duties as a judge.”
Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley also came to Barrett’s defense.
“Professor Barrett is a brilliant legal scholar who has earned the respect of colleagues and students from across the political spectrum,” Sen. Grassley said Monday. “She’s also a committed Roman Catholic and has spoken passionately about the role that her faith plays in her life. This isn’t inconsistent with being a federal judge.”
Despite Democrats’ widespread anger at the Senate’s decision to confirm Barrett, the decision was seen by many as a victory for conservatives.
“Amy Coney Barrett’s qualifications for the federal judiciary are undisputed, but abortion industry advocates continue their smear campaign by attacking Barrett’s Catholic faith,” The Catholic Association legal adviser Andrea Picciotti-Baye said in a statement.
Barrett is the first of three women, and four appeals court nominees, that Republicans intend to confirm this week, reports The Washington Times.
“I assume that all three of these impressive women will receive strong support from our Democratic colleagues, who never seem to miss an opportunity to talk about a ‘War on Women,’” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. (For more from the author of “Senate Confirms Trump Judicial Nominee Who Once Called Roe v. Wade ‘Erroneous Decision'” please click HERE)
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