Sen. Kamala Harris blasted Senate Republicans Monday for holding a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, saying they are ignoring the safety issues related to COVID-19.
“This hearing has brought together more than 50 people to sit inside of a closed-door room for hours while our nation is facing a deadly airborne virus,” said the California Democrat, who appeared remotely to give her opening remarks at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden’s running mate claimed Americans want the GOP to hold off on the hearing and let the president who wins on Nov. 3 fill the high court vacancy.
Instead, the lawmakers should be working on coronavirus relief for families that need financial assistance, she said.
“This hearing should have been postponed,” Ms. Harris stressed, adding Republicans’ “priorities are not the American people’s priorities.”
Ms. Harris followed the same line of attack her Democratic colleagues have made against Judge Barrett, who they say will strike down the Affordable Care Act if she is confirmed to the Supreme Court.
Democrats have noted there is a case on Nov. 10 weighing the individual mandate, and have suggested President Trump and Senate Republicans want her on the court to vote to repeal President Obama’s signature healthcare law.
Ms. Harris said Judge Barrett will wipe out the legacy liberal icon, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, achieved during her nearly three decades on the Supreme Court.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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