The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg weeks before the 2020 presidential election and the president’s pick of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court has forced Democrats and Republicans to consider the impact the potential confirmation will have on the election.
With the confirmation in such close proximity to the election, many have highlighted the political implications of a pick for the court by a Republican incumbent. While some believe that the selection of Barrett will light the flame under Democrats and moderates to turn out on Election Day, some political commentators believe the selection will help Republicans the most, especially given the attacks Barrett has already faced for her faith and family.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trumps nominee for Supreme Court, smiles for a photo with Senator David Perdue, R-GA at the US Capitol on September 30, 2020, in Washington, DC. Photo by ANNA MONEYMAKER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“I believe it’s helpful because it’s going to provoke radical and extreme attacks from the Democrats,” Terry Schilling, the executive director of the American Principles Project. “Barrett is actually very popular, with her religious and family background. You’re already seeing Democrats attack her for adopting children from Haiti, basically saying she’s a racist for this. This is something most Americans are going to hear Democrats on the left say and think they’re nuts and unhinged, and it’s going to backfire.”
Barrett has already faced smears for her Catholic faith, including by Democratic California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who said that “The conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you,” which is “of concern.” The Senate will begin the process for confirming Judge Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court on October 12, less than a month before Election Day.
Barrett adopted two of her seven children, Vivian and John Peter, from Haiti. Media figures have suggested that Barrett adopted her children for nefarious reasons. Next Gen America managing director John Lee Brougher said that he needed to “know more about the circumstances” of how Barrett adopted her children and “the treatment of them since.”
“Transracial adoption is fraught with trauma and potential for harm, and everything I see here is deeply concerning,” he said.
Democratic activist Dana Houle said that he would “love to know which adoption agency Amy Coney Barrett and her husband used to adopt the two children they brought here from Haiti.”
“Does the press even investigate details of Barrett’s adoptions from Haiti,” he asked. “Some adoptions from Haiti were legit. Many were sketchy as hell. And if press learned they were unethical and illegal adoptions, would they report it? Or not, bc it involves her children.”
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 26: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) arrives to introduce 7th U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to the Supreme Court in the Rose Garden at the White House September 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“It’ll also backfire if they attack her on her religious background as a Catholic,” Schilling told the Caller.
Schilling cites President Trump’s polling with Catholics, who appear to be more supportive of Biden, although Trump had won Catholic voters in 2016.
“If Barrett starts getting attacked for her religious beliefs by Kamala or any of these Democrats in the Senate, I think there’ll be a Catholic backlash against the Democratic Party and it’ll help strengthen President Trump with a very important voting demographic.”
Barrett has already been characterized by an extremist. Disgraced former congresswoman Katie Hill tweeted: “If her religion never made it into her court decisions, she can believe what she wants. But, yes, personally, I DO object to any religion that still insists women be subservient.” Filmmaker Arlen Parsa called Barrett a “Catholic extremist with 7 children” in a since deleted tweet, hitting Barrett for her pro-life views while noting that he will vote for pro-abortion 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden, who is also Catholic.
Chad Robichaux, the founder of the Mighty Oaks Foundation and former Force Recon Marine/Afghanistan Veteran, told the Caller that the selection of Barrett for the Supreme Court was destined for attacks from Democrats, but those attacks would only hurt them with voters.
“The president is very strategic even though the media depicts him as a loose canon,” he said. “He knows how to push people’s buttons, so I think he picked someone that they would have strong opposition against, and would get Democrats to show their hand.”
“There is no question from anybody they were going to attack her. He picked someone so squeaky clean and respected by all sides that the attack would be something that wouldn’t sit well with the American people. They’re attacking her for her faith and morals, how could that go well?”
The attacks also don’t appear to align with the sentiments expressed by Joe Biden during the first presidential debate, where he described Barrett as a “very fine person.” (RELATED: Biden Says Amy Coney Barrett Is A ‘Very Fine Person’)
“The president knew she had a good record, she was loved by all sides, and she’s highly qualified. It was predicted they would attack her on her children and her faith. I think it makes them look bad, cheap and evil, and I think a majority of the American people would feel this way,” Robichaux said.