OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today sent a letter with a coalition of 21 other state attorneys general to members of the U.S. Senate, urging prompt confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the letter, the attorneys general point to her experience, qualifications and judicial philosophy as hallmarks that will make her an outstanding associate justice.
Attorney General Hunter said Judge Barrett will apply the law as written and will enforce the original understanding of the Constitution.
“This confirmation should not take long,” Attorney General Hunter said. “Judge Barrett recently completed this process during her nomination to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017, where she received bipartisan support. She is an expert on constitutional law and understands the role of a judge is to not legislate from the bench. My colleagues and I encourage members of the U.S. Senate to use the same expediency as Judge Barrett’s previous position to confirm her as the next associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.”
In the letter, attorneys general write that Judge Barrett will safeguard the constitutional framework the founding fathers intended based on her opinions from the bench and views of the law.
The letter also points to her strong character, which earned her respect and adoration across political parties, noting that all 49 of her fellow Notre Dame law professors supported her ascension to the federal bench, stating that while they had a “wide range of political views,” they were “united however in our judgment about Amy.”
Acknowledging the concerns of some claiming that senators will not have adequate time to consider Judge Barrett’s qualifications, the coalition writes, “Justice Ginsburg herself was confirmed 42 days after she was nominated. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s confirmation took 33 days, while Justice John Paul Stevens was confirmed 19 days after he was nominated. “As the New York Times reported in 2016, ‘on average, a nominee has been confirmed, rejected, or withdrawn within 25 days.’”
Opening statements in Judge Barrett’s confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 12. Questioning is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13.