Mitch McConnell: Judge Barrett Confirmation Hearings Will Begin Next Week

Hearings on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett will begin one week from Monday, announced Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in a tweet Monday evening.

McConnell indicated that the Barrett hearings would be “hybrid” sessions, meaning a mix of physical and digital options will be available to lawmakers and witnesses who attend.

“Judge Barrett’s hearings will begin one week from today,” wrote Sen. McConnell. “Chairman [Lindsey] Graham has all the tools to conduct a hybrid hearing, just like the 150 others the Senate has held this year.”

“We will not stop working for the American people because Democrats are afraid they may lose a vote,” added the majority leader.

Judge Barrett’s hearings will begin one week from today. Chairman Graham has all the tools to conduct a hybrid hearing, just like the 150 others the Senate has held this year.
 
We will not stop working for the American people because Democrats are afraid they may lose a vote.

— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) October 6, 2020

On September 26th this year, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Donald Trump announced Judge Barrett as his nominee to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat.

Barrett has served as a judge on the Seventh Circuit since 2017 when she was nominated to the circuit court by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate.

The Democrat minority leader in the Senate, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), has attempted to use the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to postpone the Supreme Court hearings until after the election.

Last week, Sen. Schumer declared it “irresponsible and dangerous to move forward with a hearing” after two members of the Judiciary Committee, Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) tested positive for the virus.

On Friday, Sen. Tillis announced that he was suffering from no symptoms and “feels well.”