Naked Republican hypocrisy is destroying trust in Supreme Court: Reagan, Bush lawyers
Channel: Ragy Mohamed Sabry
Date: 2020-10-12

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Republicans are using a deeply unfair process to confirm Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.  Build faith in democracy by letting the people decide. When a vacancy on the Supreme Court arose nine months ahead of the election in 2016, Sen.  Mitch McConnell saidin no uncertain terms: The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice.  Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President. Now, after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgless than two months before Election Day, as voters are already casting ballots in many states, McConnell has reversed his position.  His nakedhypocrisy threatens the future credibility of our federal judiciary. Our opposition is not partisan,quite the opposite.  We served at upper levels of government inside Republican administrations and we are united in our opposition to the rushed nomination, hearing, and confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court.  Our concern is not related to the qualifications of Judge Barrett.  Rather, we believe that the process being pursued is fundamentally unfair and will greatly undermine public trust upon which our democracy depends. Turning SCOTUS into political gameIndeed, if Senate Republicans force Judge Barrett through in the waning weeks before a presidential election  after denying President Obama any opportunity for Senate consideration of his nomination of Judge Merrick Garlandnearly a year before the 2016 election the American people will unavoidably see the Supreme Court as just another forum for power politics and political players.  The legitimacy of the judicial branch rests on the principle that judges are independent and unbiased interpreters of the law.  A fair process for nomination and selection is crucial to preserving a public perception of the Justices of the Supreme Court as neutral jurists, rather than pawns of the political process.  In fact,