Governor Kay Ivey has joined 23 other Republican governors in sending a letter to U.S. Senate leadership supporting the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States.
The letter was dated on Thursday and released to the public on Friday.
“As governors, we strongly support President Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States, and we urge the Senate to confirm her appointment as an Associate Justice,” the governors wrote.
Ivey tweeted about her staunch support of the nominee on Friday morning, sharing the letter.
“In addition to her distinguished career, she is a woman of great moral character who is devoted to her country, community, family, and faith, like so many Americans,” Alabama’s governor said of Judge Barrett.
I stand with #AmyConeyBarrett for #SCOTUS #alpolitics In addition to her distinguished career, she is a woman of great moral character who is devoted to her country, community, family, and faith, like so many Americans. https://t.co/xowTwB7T9N
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) October 9, 2020
Barrett currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She clerked for the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, as well as Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Before and while serving on the federal bench, she was a professor of law at Notre Dame Law School. She graduated at the top of her class from the same school.
The Republican governors outlined, “As Judge Barrett stated during the President’s announcement of her nomination, ‘A judge must apply the law as written. Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold.’ Judge Barrett carries a longstanding and well-respected reputation as a legal scholar, professor, practitioner, and jurist. Her scholarship focused on stare decisis, appellate procedure, canons of construction, and judicial authority. She has a proven record of safeguarding the interpretation of the law from partisan politics and defending individual rights from government overreach.”
“As elected leaders of our states, we support a judicial philosophy like Judge Barrett’s that respects the roles of coequal branches of government and protects powers reserved to the states,” they continued. “Most importantly, Americans can trust Judge Barrett, because she will apply the text of the Constitution and statutes as written.”
“Judge Barrett has demonstrated from the bench nothing but legal brilliance, independence, thoughtfulness, and impartiality. She will be an exceptional addition to our nation’s highest court,” the governors concluded. “We urge the Senate to fulfill its constitutional advice and consent duty and confirm Judge Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court.”
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth have previously written Senate leaders in support of Barrett’s confirmation. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) has met with and voiced his support for the nominee; meanwhile, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) has not met with Barrett and committed to oppose the confirmation before a nominee was even named.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.