Barrett’s nomination is an obvious attempt to pack the court
Reading the brief letter to the editor on Oct. 15 (“A judge with integrity would withdraw from Supreme Court consideration during election”) stating that Judge Barrett should have the “integrity” to withdraw her nomination to the Supreme Court has impelled me to write in agreement with the author. Integrity is a great descriptive here; it should be a requirement for all justices on the high court.
The Republican led Senate (read: Mitch McConnell) has pushed this process unbelievably aggressively to appoint a new, conservative Judge to the court prior to the election of our next president.
This has occurred without evidence of integrity on the part of Mr. McConnell or Lindsey Graham, and on the part of Judge Barrett.
What shocks me is, first, the total hypocrisy of Messrs. McConnell and Graham in reversing their positions so clearly stated when they blocked President Obama’s attempt at nominating a liberal judge in 2016 with so many months before the presidential election. At the time they went “on record” stating this would apply in any situation going forward. Well, we are quite forward and in the midst (over 14 million votes in) of an election right now. Yet they continue. What a pity.
Secondly, I am appalled that any judicial candidate would choose to take part in this fray. I look to Supreme Court justices as being paragons of our society. With a strict Catholic background and belief-system, how can Judge Barrett take part in this fiasco? As the beneficiary of a Jesuit undergraduate education, I believe there is no possible defense for this action. No truly religious person, judge or no judge, would seriously pursue this position in our current political context. Her appointment will represent a stain on the court which will be permanent. And, should also permanently damage her credibility, her sense of justice, and her integrity.
This entire effort is so transparent, so obviously aimed to “pack the court” and so petty and full of lies and broken oaths, that it casts a pall on our democracy. Whatever happened to common values and honesty in our government? Are they gone forever? Or is this yet another manifestation of the current, deviant activity emanating from the White House?
Woe is us. But Judge Barrett earns double woes. Integrity indeed!