The president announces his decision on the identity of a replacement for veteran judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg who has passed away • Barrett is considered a darling of the conservative wing that supports Trump
President Trump and Judge Amy Connie Barrett // Photo: Reuters
US President Donald Trump announced tonight (Saturday night) the appointment of Amy Connie Barrett, a conservative judge from the state of Illinois, to the position of Supreme Court Justice in place of the late Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Barrett is currently serving as a judge on the Court of Appeals and the announcement of the appointment is expected to be made today during a special event to be held at the White House.
Last night, the president declined to comment on the issue at the King's press conference at the Andrews military base in Virginia, saying, "You'll find out tomorrow."
The president's announcement is likely to create much controversy among many political leaders, given the fact that Senate Majority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell announced last week that he would put the issue to a vote soon, even though the date is very close to the presidential election.
Barrett has been considered a senior candidate for the job for years, having previously considered the possibility of replacing former judge Anthony Kennedy.
Bart Cavanaugh was eventually elected to the post but Trump said he "keeps her replacing Ginsburg".
The judge, a 48-year-old law professor, previously served as a lecturer at the University of Notre Dame and considers herself a devout Catholic, a fact that was a contentious point during the 2017 hearing of her appointment to the Court of Appeals.
According to the winds in Washington, the Democrats will try to prevent the nomination before the election in any way possible, while at the same time there are two opponents from the Republican side in the Senate - Susan Collins and Lisa Morkowski, who may eventually change her mind.
Republicans have a 53-seat majority, and they can afford 3 opponents in a vote, in light of the fact that Vice President Mike Pence can break the tie and decide the issue.