The U.S. Senate on Monday night voted to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Monday's divided vote of 52-48 was the closest high court confirmation ever to a presidential election, and the first in modern times with no support from the minority party.
President Donald Trump's choice to fill the vacancy of the late liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg potentially opens a new era of rulings on abortion, the Affordable Care Act and even his own election. Democrats were unable to stop the outcome, Trump's third justice on the court, as Republicans race to reshape the judiciary.
“This is a momentous day for America,” Trump said at a primetime swearing-in event on the South Lawn at the White House. Justice Clarence Thomas administered the Constitutional Oath to Barrett before a crowd of about 200.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administered the Constitutional Oath on Monday and Barrett told those gathered that she believes “it is the job of a judge to resist her policy preferences.” She vowed, “I will do my job without any fear or favor.”
Barrett, a 48-year-old a federal appeals court judge from Indiana, will be able to start work Tuesday, her lifetime appointment as the 115th justice solidifying the court’s rightward tilt.
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Democrats argued for weeks that the vote was being improperly rushed and insisted during an all-night Sunday session it should be up to the winner of the Nov. 3 election to name the nominee.
Connecticut’s two U.S. Senators, who are both Democrats, released statements after the confirmation.
“There is a clear and present danger of a humanitarian, moral, and constitutional crisis, as the Supreme Court shifts radically to the right and prepares to strike down laws vital to health and American values,” U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement.
“Republicans just accomplished what they’ve been trying to do for years: weaponize the courts to accomplish their hugely unpopular agenda that they couldn’t get done in Congress,” U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said in a statement.
Following are the full statements Blumenthal and Murphy released:
Statement from U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal
Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the confirmation:
“There is a clear and present danger of a humanitarian, moral, and constitutional crisis, as the Supreme Court shifts radically to the right and prepares to strike down laws vital to health and American values.
“Americans across the country are scared and saddened tonight. Families with sick children are scared they won’t be able to pay for their health care if the Affordable Care Act is struck down. Women are scared the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade and punish them for their decisions about when and whether to have children. Gay couples are scared that their loving relationships will no longer be protected by law. And all Americans should be scared of a Supreme Court that would supplant the electoral will of the people with the votes of Republican-appointed justices.
“To every person who is worried about what your future looks like under this Supreme Court: I will never stop fighting for you. Breaking the rules and norms to appoint activist judges who legislate from the bench – and overturn laws supported by elected legislators – is undemocratic and unacceptable. Keep on standing up and speaking out.
“Americans across the country are scared and saddened tonight. Families with sick children are scared they won’t be able to pay for their health care if the Affordable Care Act is struck down. Women are scared the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade and punish them for their decisions about when and whether to have children. Gay couples are scared that their loving relationships will no longer be protected by law. And all Americans should be scared of a Supreme Court that would supplant the electoral will of the people with the votes of Republican-appointed justices.
“To every person who is worried about what your future looks like under this Supreme Court: I will never stop fighting for you. Breaking the rules and norms to appoint activist judges who legislate from the bench – and overturn laws supported by elected legislators – is undemocratic and unacceptable. Keep on standing up and speaking out.”
Statement from U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy
“Republicans just accomplished what they’ve been trying to do for years: weaponize the courts to accomplish their hugely unpopular agenda that they couldn’t get done in Congress,” said Murphy. “The first stop is to take health care away from millions of Americans in a case that will be seen by the Supreme Court in just over two weeks. Judge Barrett will now be seated on the Court in time to hear Trump and congressional Republicans’ lawsuit to eradicate the Affordable Care Act and end protections for 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, creating a humanitarian catastrophe in the middle of a global health pandemic. And next on the chopping block, it is clear, is a woman’s right to choose, gun violence prevention measures, and campaign finance reform. I am both infuriated and devastated on behalf of our country.”
Barrett is expected to take the judicial oath administered by Chief Justice John Roberts in a private ceremony Tuesday at the court to begin participating in proceedings.
