Republican Supreme Court Hyprocisy

The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett was full of hypocrisy and a stunning lack of morals by the Senate Republicans who drove the nomination forward. 

In order to fully understand why so many Democrats are repulsed by the nomination, it is important to understand the recent history of Supreme Court nominations. In March of 2016, former President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court after a vacancy was opened by the death of Antonin Scalia. 

However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell argued that it was an election year and Obama had no right to nominate a justice to the Supreme Court. McConnell even refused to hold a hearing for Garland, according to CNN. 

The move by McConnell was clearly a political stunt. There is no basis in history for this kind of political move.  In fact, according to the Washington Post, 14 presidents have appointed justices to the Supreme Court in election years. McConell was just taking action in order to benefit his party. 

Ignoring the precedent they set just four years ago, Republican Senators moved through with the Amy Coney Barret confirmation less than one month before the 2020 presidential election. 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in 2016 that he would not support a Supreme Court nomination in 2020, and that we could “use his words against him.” Defying his promise just four years earlier, Graham publicly said that he will vote in favor of confirming Barrett. 

After the partisan politics displayed by the Republican Party in 2016, Democrats were rightfully outraged.  It is clear the Republicans will clearly do what benefits them, no matter what has happened in the past.