Sen. Hatch Refers to ‘She/Her’ SCOTUS Nominee in Op-Ed

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) wrote an op-ed for the Deseret News on Friday vowing to fight for President Donald Trump’s nominee to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy and fueling speculation that it may be Amy Coney Barrett by twice using the feminine pronouns of “her” and “she.”

“Just as he did with Neil Gorsuch, the president has promised to nominate an impartial judge, a wise and seasoned jurist committed to upholding the Constitution at all costs,” Hatch wrote. “But no matter the nominee’s background or credentials, progressives will do everything they can to paint her as a closet partisan, if not an outright extremist.”

“For my part, I will do everything in my power to keep politics out of the confirmation process,” Hatch wrote. “As the senior member of the Judiciary Committee, I will fight to keep jurisprudence as the sole focus of our confirmation hearings.”

“And I will devote all my energies to ensuring that we confirm the kind of Supreme Court justice America needs: a justice who says what the law is, not what she wants it to be; a justice who calls balls and strikes instead of swinging for the fences; a justice whose foremost allegiance is to the American people and to the Constitution,” Hatch wrote.

There is, however, no reason to believe that Hatch would have inside information about Trump’s decision.

Despite the era of #metoo and Democrats touting the upcoming midterm elections as the “Year of the Woman” in what they hope is a “Blue Wave,” the criticism of the only woman who is believed to be in the top tier of those Trump is considering is being targeted because of her pro-life Christian beliefs.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tweeted last week about Barrett:

“Amy Coney Barrett is a judge on the Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit & on @realDonaldTrump’s pre-approved list for SCOTUS. She passed his “litmus test” on overturning Roe v. Wade & striking down the ACA.  Here’s where she stands on Americans’ big issues:

“Barrett attacked the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Affordable Care Act, which has helped millions of people secure health insurance coverage.”

“Barrett also fought efforts to ensure that all women have access to contraceptives.”

“She disagrees with ‘stare decisis’ – the idea that cases like Roe v. Wade are settled law in the courts – and instead has said she wants ‘space’ for ‘reargument.'”

“The bottom line: Judge Barrett has given every indication that she will be an activist judge on the Court. If chosen as the nominee, she will be the deciding vote to overturn Roe v. Wade and to strike down pre-existing conditions protections in the ACA.”

Amy Coney Barrett is a judge on the Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit & on @realDonaldTrump’s pre-approved list for SCOTUS. She passed his “litmus test” on overturning Roe v. Wade & striking down the ACA. Here’s where she stands on Americans' big issues:

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 2, 2018

After Trump nominated Barrett for the circuit court seat her religious beliefs were attacked by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) at her confirmation hearing.

“The Democrat senator from California, Dianne Feinstein, attacked Barrett, a Catholic law professor at Notre Dame, with the accusation that she is essentially unfit for service as a federal judge because of her deeply held religious beliefs,” the National Catholic Register reported. 

“You are controversial,” Feinstein said at the hearing. “You have a long history of believing that your religious beliefs should prevail.” 

“When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you,” Feinstein said. “And that’s of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years in this country.”

In his op-ed, Hatch said the Democrat’s politicization of Supreme Court nominees dates back to Robert Bork and has continued since.

“The years that followed saw one escalation after another as Democrats detonated decades of established precedent in an all-out blitz to politicize our courts,” Hatch wrote. “Whether it was the unholy inquisition of Clarence Thomas, the indefensible filibuster of Samuel Alito, or the public flagellation of Neil Gorsuch, the left has repeatedly violated the norms governing the judicial confirmation process.” 

And he vowed to thwart the Senate Democrats’ effort to stop the president from seating his second Supreme Court justice.

“Too much is at stake to allow politics to corrupt the Supreme Court confirmation process,” Hatch wrote. “That’s why in the coming weeks, I will lift heaven and earth to see the president’s nominee across the finish line.”

Trump has said he will make the announcement of his pick on Monday.

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