Republican attorneys general across the United States endorsed a letter to the Senate urging members to support the nomination of federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
“The Constitution clearly sets out the process for filling a Supreme Court vacancy,” the letter, which quoted portions from a similar letter sent to the Senate in favor of supporting the nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016, reads. “The president has a duty to make a nomination,” the Republicans quoted from the 2016 letter, which was signed by attorneys general from 19 states, including California and New York.
The Republicans went on to use the words of Senate Democrats who said the Senate has a “responsibility to consider and approve or disapprove the nomination. While simple, this is the law and it should be followed.”
“Indeed, as the 2016 letter makes clear, ‘since 1900, six justices have been confirmed during election years, including Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was confirmed in the final year of the Reagan administration,” the letter, signed by 22 attorneys general, said.
Senate Democrats have expressed opposition to President Trump’s nomination of Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, citing her alleged deathbed wish to not be replaced until after November’s presidential election, and the timing of the nomination being so close to the election.
Senate Republicans have signaled they have the votes to confirm Barrett and made the case that historical precedent is on their side.
“If you look at history, if you actually look at what the precedent is, this has happened 29 times,” Republican Sen. Ted Cruz told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos last month. “Twenty-nine times there has been a vacancy in a presidential election year. Now, presidents have made nominations all 29 times. That’s what presidents do. If there’s a vacancy, they make a nomination.”
