OPINION:
The Senate confirmation hearing of Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court has made certain things quite clear. One, our country would be in a much better position if people with the values, love of country and the constitution Judge Barrett exemplifies were reflective of those serving in the Senate. And two, somehow an august body like the United States Senate has become peopled with the worst of us.
The grotesque scandal of the confirmation hearing for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh is forever seared into the memory of the American people. Individuals such as Sens. Dianne Feinstein, Kamala Harris and Mazie Hirono made fools of themselves in a specific effort to destroy an innocent man simply because they could and because they thought there would be political bennies.
Alas, the American people didn’t much like the insanity of that display, and said so in the 2018 midterm elections by expanding Republican control of the Senate. That message was even more distinct considering the Democrats gained control of the House. After watching that fiasco, the voters decided they couldn’t trust the Democrats with a sharp object like the Senate.
While the Judge Barrett hearing is not at all like the car wreck the Democrats arranged with Justice Kavanaugh, they still can’t resist making fools of themselves.
At Judge Barrett’s 2017 confirmation hearing for the Court of Appeals, Ms. Feinstein uttered the now infamous “The dogma lives loudly within you,” as a condemnation of Judge Barrett’s Catholic faith meant to raise suspicions about her intentions and character.
While the Democrats were dancing on the head of a pin this time around because of the backlash to the questioning of Judge Barrett’s faith, Ms. Feinstein, in a generally confused interrogatory about abortion and gun control, still did her best to get the nominee to issue her personal opinions. Judge Barrett refused to take the bait.
“Barrett repeated to senators that she had no political agenda, and frequently cited her current role as a judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals when asked about her views on specific issues. ’If I give off-the-cuff answers, then I would basically be a legal pundit,’ the 48-year-old nominee said [responding to Ms. Feinstein]. ’I don’t think we want judges to be legal pundits. I think we want judges to approach cases thoughtfully with an open mind,’” reported Politico about the exchange.
Ms. Feinstein’s response? “Okay, let me try something else …” revealing the agenda as not to assess the character of the nominee, but to trip her up or to embarrass her. During their exchange, I half expected Ms. Feinstein to challenge Judge Barrett to pull her finger.
In the meantime, we await Ms. Feinstein’s apology to the judge for her 2017 attempted smear of her faith.
Then there is Mazie Hirono of Hawaii who, during the Kavanaugh hearings, declared he did not deserve the presumption of innocence. What sort of lawmaker makes that argument when someone is facing, in a dramatically public hearing, allegations that are wildly absurd and meant to destroy that person’s life?
Ms. Hirono, that’s who, along with too many of her Democratic colleagues.
Not content with embarrassing herself in that gruesome episode of Senate history, Ms. Hirono sat across from Judge Barrett and asked, “Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors, or committed any physical or verbal harassment or assault of a sexual nature?” Fox News reported.
“No” was Judge Barrett’s answer, of course. And yet there she sat, with her family behind her including her seven children, being asked by a U.S. senator if she was a rapist. Ms. Hirono explains she asks every nominee those questions in order to “catch” them in the future if they lie, according to Heavy.com.
Weaponizing violence against women to weave a dystopian narrative throughout society that all Americans are potential rapists, is craven and grotesque. It was with Justice Kavanaugh and it is with Judge Barrett.
Further highlighting the kangaroo court environment surrounding this inquisition of a remarkable and accomplished woman, was the firestorm that erupted when Judge Barrett committed the crime of uttering the words “sexual preference” instead of “sexual orientation” when responding to a question about LGBT issues.
Ms. Hirono swooped in and libsplained the word crime by saying the phrase was outdated and offensive. Judge Barrett apologized, noting, “I certainly didn’t mean and would never mean to use a term that would cause any offense to the LGBTQ community. So, if I did, I greatly apologize for that. …” Perhaps we should all keep a list stuck to our fridge with the currently approved adjectives for the Democrats’ Balkanized base. It would have to be written in pencil, of course.
Here’s a newsflash from this gay woman about my sexual preference: It is a preference. Others may choose to call it their orientation. But for the crowd insisting there are 57 genders and you are whatever you imagine, to suddenly be the adjective police is the height of arrogance with a splash of Stalin thrown in.
The good news on display during these hearings is America is still producing people like Amy Coney Barrett. The attacks on Justice Kavanaugh were meant to derail his nomination but a corollary agenda was to also frighten other good Americans from being willing to participate in our government. It’s people like Judge Barrett they were hoping to scare away. Thankfully, her love for this country and our Constitution eclipses any fear the jerks and bullies in the United States Senate had hoped to instill.
• Tammy Bruce, president of Independent Women’s Voice, author and Fox News contributor, is a radio talk-show host.
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