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Confirmation Hearings for Amy Coney Barrett to Begin October 12

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham announced Saturday that the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett are scheduled to begin on October 12. The timeline suggests that the hearings will be held just 16 days after Barrett was nominated by President Donald Trump to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Graham expressed his hope to have Barrett out of the committee by October 26, paving the way for a potential vote by the full Senate. The hearings come as a surprise to many, given the Democrats' accusations that Republicans are being hypocritical in their efforts to push through Barrett's confirmation before the November 3 election.

Key Takeaways:

  • The confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett are scheduled to begin on October 12, just 16 days after her nomination.
  • This is a faster timeline than 24 of the 42 Supreme Court justices who were confirmed within 16 days of their nominations.
  • Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham expressed his hope to have Barrett out of the committee by October 26.
  • The full Senate is expected to vote on Barrett's confirmation after she leaves the committee.
  • A majority of voters (about 56%) believe that whoever wins the election in November should nominate Ginsburg's replacement.
  • Democrats have accused Republicans of being hypocritical in their efforts to push through Barrett's confirmation before the November 3 election.
  • At least two Senate Democrats have floated the possibility of boycotting Barrett's confirmation hearings, but Democratic officials have shown little appetite for doing so.
  • Graham defended the Republican rush to get Barrett confirmed before Election Day, saying that it is not unusual given the time period.
  • Barrett has a judicial record of being against abortion access, sparking concerns from women's rights activists that her confirmation could lead to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Statistics:

  • 56% of voters believe that whoever wins the election in November should nominate Ginsburg's replacement, according to a recent poll by The New York Times and Siena College.
  • 8% is the margin by which Biden leads Trump nationally, according to the same poll.
  • 269 days is the amount of time between the death of Justice Antonin Scalia and the 2016 presidential election.
  • 46 days is the amount of time between the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the 2020 presidential election.

Sources:

  • Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.); The Huffington Post; Fox News; Fox News' Jeanine Pirro; President Donald Trump; The New York Times and Siena College; The Washington Post.

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