Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala D. Harris said Thursday that questions about Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s faith should not be part of Judge Barrett’s confirmation process in the coming weeks.
“One’s faith should never be the basis of supporting or rejecting a nominee, so absolutely not,” Ms. Harris told KPNX-TV in Phoenix.
Ms. Harris had been asked whether questions about the faith of Judge Barrett, who is Catholic, are “on or off the table.”
“But any questions that are about bias, any questions that are about perspective on adhering to jurisprudence and precedent — of course,” she said.
Judge Barrett is President Trump’s pick to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court left by the recent death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Vice President Mike Pence said in the vice presidential debate this week that Ms. Harris went after one of Mr. Trump’s judicial nominees because they were a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic civic group.
In 2018, Ms. Harris had asked questions of U.S. District Judge Brian Buescher during his confirmation process about the group’s positions on abortion and gay marriage, describing the group as “an all-male society comprised primarily of Catholic men.”
At the debate on Wednesday, Ms. Harris said she and Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden are both people of faith and that Mr. Biden would be just the second practicing Catholic elected president if they win.
“It’s insulting to suggest that we would knock anyone for their faith,” she said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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