President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Saturday.
Judge Barrett, a former clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, said she aligned herself with Justice Scalia’s conservative approach, saying his “judicial philosophy is mine, too.”
She added, “A judge must apply the law as written. Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they may hold.”
The 48-year-old was joined in the Rose Garden along with her husband and seven children. If confirmed by the Senate, Judge Barrett would fill the seat vacated by the late Ruth Badger Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18 at the age of 87.
Mr. Trump praised Judge Barrett during Saturday’s announcement, calling her “a woman of remarkable intellect and character,” and said he studied her record closely before making his selection.
Judge Barrett would be the sixth justice on the nine-member court appointed by a Republican president, and the third of Mr. Trump’s first term in office.
A former Notre Dame law professor who now sits on a federal appeals court in Chicago, Judge Barrett is a favorite among conservatives due to her record as a pro-life judge.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote “in the weeks ahead” on Judge Barrett’s confirmation. Hearings are set to begin Oct. 12.
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