Democrat Witnesses for SCOTUS Hearing Include Woman Who ‘Fought for Her Right to Obtain an Abortion’ at 16

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 14: Sen. Dianne Feinstein listens when Sen. Dick Durbin speaks as
Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Democrats have released a list of their witnesses for the final day of hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, which includes a witness described as someone who “fought for her right to obtain an abortion at age 16.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) released a list of witnesses who will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Witnesses include Stacy Staggs, a mother of twins who have “multiple pre-existing conditions”; Dr. Farhan Bhatti, a family physician who will discuss the impact overturning the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would have on his patients; Crystal Good, a woman who “fought for her right to obtain an abortion at age 16”; and Kristen Clarke, the “president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law” who will speak on the “importance of voting rights and other civil rights.”

Per the press release:

Stacy Staggs, a mother of 7-year old twins. Stacy’s twins have multiple pre-existing conditions due to their premature birth and rely on the Affordable Care Act’s protections. Stacy works with Little Lobbyists, a nonprofit started by families with children who have complex medical needs. Stacy will discuss the devastating effects on her family if the Supreme Court overturns the Affordable Care Act.
Dr. Farhan Bhatti, a family physician and CEO of Care Free Medical, a nonprofit clinic. Dr. Bhatti will discuss the harm to his patients if the Supreme Court overturns the Affordable Care Act.
Crystal Good, fought for her right to obtain an abortion at age 16. Crystal will speak about the importance of reproductive rights and justice.
Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Kristen will speak about the importance of voting rights and other civil rights protected by the Constitution and federal law.

On Tuesday, Barrett explained the role of judges, stressing that they cannot randomly decide to impose their will on the world.

“Judges can’t just wake up one day and say, ‘I have an agenda. I like guns. I hate guns. I like abortion. I hate abortion’ and walk in like a royal queen and impose, you know, their will on the world,” she said, explaining the process:

Senate Judiciary Committee

“You have to wait for cases and controversies, which is the language of the Constitution, to wind their way through the process,” she continued.

She added, “It’s not something that a judge or justice would wake up and say, ‘Oh we’re hearing this case. I know what my vote’s going to be.’”

Barrett also emphasized on Tuesday that she holds no hostility toward the ACA — more commonly known as Obamacare.

“When I wrote, and this was as a law professor, about those decisions, I did critique the statutory interpretation of the majority opinions. And as I’ve mentioned before, my description of them was consistent with the way that Chief Justice Roberts described the statutory question,” Barrett told Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL).

“But I think that your concern is because I critiqued the statutory reasoning, that I’m hostile to the ACA, and that because I’m hostile to the ACA, that I would decide a case a particular way,” she continued:

Senate Judiciary Committee

“And I assure you that I am not. I’m not hostile to the ACA. I’m not hostile to any statute that you pass,” Barrett stressed, later adding, “I apply the law. I follow the law. You make the policy.”

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