The US Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of judge Amy Barrett to the Supreme Court, although Democrats boycotted the vote.
At the vote held at the US Senate Judiciary Committee today, Ms. Barrett received 12 votes in favor, 0 votes against, creating a premise for the entire Senate to discuss and vote to approve her appointment to the Court.
All 10 Democratic senators on the committee did not come to vote, saying that the appointment of Mrs. Barrett as Supreme Court judge was done too close to election day.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said Democrats boycotted the vote "their choice", adding "We will not allow them to control the committee" and "this is
In announcing a boycott of the vote, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats on the Judiciary Committee said nominating Ms. Barrett "had been a fake process in the first place".
Barrett, 48, a federal appeals court judge appointed by Trump and a former professor at Notre Dame Law School, her alma mater, is considered by anti-abortion activists and White House allies.
In 2018, Ms. Barrett was on the list considered by Trump to replace the retired Supreme Court judge Anthony Kennedy, but the last chosen person was Brett Kavanaugh.
Barrett disappointed Judiciary Committee Democrats during last week's hearing, as she dodged questions about abortion, presidential power, climate change, voting rights, Obamacare and
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window.
End of dialog window.
If the Senate is controlled by Republicans through the Barrett nomination, the conservative majority in the Supreme Court will be strengthened, at a 6-3 ratio.
Mrs. Barrett's appointment to the Supreme Court would give Trump a major pre-election victory and garner his conservative voters, with many of them considering gaining control of the court.
Trump said he wished a judge would end abortion rights and help remove the Obamacare medical care law.