Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Tuesday slammed Senate Democrats for applying a religious test for Justice Amy Coney Barrett during her Senate confirmation hearings while giving President Biden’s nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson a pass.
Graham pointed out that Justice Barrett, a Catholic, was questioned about her faith regarding abortion while Democrat nominee Jackson, a nondenominational Protestant, has not undergone the same improper test.
“Personally, my faith is very important, but as you know, there is no religious test under Article Six, and it is very important to set aside one’s personal views in the role of a judge,” Jackson said, explaining her position, one which the Senate Democrats ignored during their examination of Barrett.
“How would you feel if a Senator up here said, ‘Your faith and dogma lives loudly within you and that is a concern?'” Graham asked Jackson, referring to how the Democrats improperly examined Barrett.
“How would you feel if some of them on our side said, ‘You are into church — too much church for me and my faith is different,’ and they would suggest it would affect your decisions? Would you find that offensive?” Graham asked Jackson rhetorically.
Graham emerged from hearing and said it’s “fair to say” he sees red flags with Jackson nomination. He criticized her explanation of defending Guantanamo detainees as an attorney. “It just doesn’t make sense to me,” he told me. He was one of 3 Rs who voted for her for DC Circuit
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Graham continued to explain that Barrett was given improper treatment by the media, which accused her of being a religious “nut” and “speaking in tongues” because she practiced her Catholic religion.
“I am convinced whatever faith you have and how often you go to church will not affect your ability to be fair, and I just hope going into the future that we all can accept that, and the judge [Barrett], I felt, was treated very, very poorly.”
Just 47 percent of voters believe Jackson should be confirmed, a Tuesday Politico/Morning Consult poll revealed.
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