Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his nominee for the vacancy on the United States Supreme Court: Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) strongly supports Judge Barrett’s nomination and applauds President Trump for his excellent choice.
When the nomination was announced, the RNLA released this statement from Co-Chair Harmeet Dhillon: “The RNLA expresses its enthusiastic support for President Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States! If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be an outstanding addition to the high court with her experience as a clerk of Justice Antonin Scalia, a law professor at Notre Dame, and current judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Many thanks to President Trump for putting forward another highly qualified jurist who respects the rule of law!”
RNLA Vice Chair Joanne Young agreed: “In nominating Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court, President Trump has chosen a brilliant lawyer with impeccable credentials. She is a thoughtful jurist who will respect the Constitution, interpret the law as written, and not rewrite the law according to her personal views from the bench. Once confirmed Justice Barrett will be an inspiration to a new generation of women leaders and conservative lawyers.”
RNLA Vice President for Communications Audrey Perry Martin added: “The Democrats claim to be the party that supports women, yet Democrats and their liberal allies have already insinuated that Judge Barrett cannot raise her children while excelling at a challenging career. They have also argued that her deeply held religious beliefs disqualify her from serving as a judge or justice. These arguments are deeply offensive to all Americans. As a fellow working mother and woman lawyer, I applaud President Trump for nominating Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court despite the abhorrent personal attacks already leveled against her, which are fueled by the Democrats’ fear of another justice who supports the rule of law, respects the role of a judge, and will interpret the Constitution as written.”
The Supreme Court holds the immense power of being the final arbiter of cases and controversies in the United States. It is vital that Supreme Court justices be excellent lawyers with immense respect for the rule of law, deep understanding of the separation of powers and federalism, and reverence for the Constitution. Judge Barrett embodies all of these qualities, in addition to possessing a demonstrated judicial temperament.
Judge Barrett is extremely well qualified to serve as a Supreme Court justice. She has served admirably on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals since 2017. After graduating from Rhodes College and the Notre Dame Law School, she clerked for Judge Laurence Silberman on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Antonin Scalia at the U.S. Supreme Court. She began teaching law full-time in 2002 after a few years in private practice. While she was a professor at the Notre Dame Law School, her academic scholarship, which focused on stare decisis and jurisprudential philosophy, was widely respected, and she received the “Distinguished Professor of the Year” award three times. Since her confirmation to the Seventh Circuit, she has continued teaching seminars at the Notre Dame Law School.
Throughout her distinguished career, Judge Barrett has proven her legal skills, deference to legislative processes, and respect for individual rights contained in the Constitution. Judge Barrett will be an outstanding justice who will serve the American people and promote the rule of law.
This press release can be viewed and downloaded here.