Reactions to Barrett taking seat split along party lines

WILKES-BARRE — Democrats and Republican offered stark differences in their comments concerning the seating of new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Barrett was confirmed Monday by the Senate in a 52-48 virtual party line vote. She was expected to begin work as a justice on Tuesday after taking the second of two oaths required of judges by federal law.

No justice has assumed office so close to a presidential election, or immediately confronted issues so directly tied to the incumbent president’s political and personal fortunes.

At 48, Justice Barrett is the youngest justice since Clarence Thomas joined the court in 1991 at age 43.

Here are the statements as submitted:

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton

“The U/S Supreme Court confirmation vote means that 1 million Pennsylvanians are one step closer to having their health care coverage ripped away and 5.3 million Pennsylvanians are one step closer to losing legal protections for their pre-existing conditions.

“Republican Senators have rammed through a Justice to cast the deciding vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that ensures children with disabilities and complex medical needs receive the therapies and care they need.

“This same Senate majority refused to pass robust relief for tens of millions suffering from the impact of COVID-19 and the economic trauma that followed.

“Our Nation is in the middle of a presidential election in which more than 60 million Americans have already voted. The voters casting ballots in record numbers will make it clear that the American people oppose this cynical, pernicious attempt to accomplish corporate court packing after Congressional Republicans failed to destroy the ACA by way of legislation.”

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley

“I was proud to join my colleagues in confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Barrett clearly has the intelligence, experience, and character needed to serve on our nation’s highest court. Given she is a working mother with school-aged children, she will bring to the Supreme Court a background that will add to its diversity.

“Most importantly, Judge Barrett has shown a deep commitment to the proper role of a federal judge in our constitutional system. She understands that a judge must act as a neutral umpire who applies the law, including the U.S. Constitution, as written, not as an unelected super legislator who decides cases based on her preferred policy outcome.”

Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Nancy Patton Mills

“For the last four years, President Trump has been hell-bent on stripping away health care from 850,000 Pennsylvanians by repealing the Affordable Care Act without any replacement plan, and Oct. 26 may go down in history as the day he succeeded.

“The confirmation of Justice Barrett, just two weeks before the Supreme Court is set to hear Trump’s lawsuit seeking to strike down the ACA, is the closest he and his Republican allies in Washington have come to their dream of dismantling our health care system.

“For years, Pennsylvanians have been telling Trump that we want to protect and strengthen our health care, not tear it down — but he hasn’t listened.

“Next Tuesday, let’s send him a message he’ll never forget, and cast the votes to elect Joe Biden and send Trump packing from the White House.”

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel

“Judge Amy Coney Barrett will now be Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. That is another Promise Made and Promise Kept under President Trump.

All Americans will be well served by Justice Barrett’s fidelity to the rule of law and her commitment to interpreting the Constitution as written in the decisions that will come before her as a member of the high court.

“Four years ago voters elected Donald Trump as their president in large part because of his promise to appoint qualified constitutionalists, and in eight days Americans are going to vote for more justices like Amy Coney Barrett by re-electing President Trump along with Republicans up and down the ballot.”

Trump campaign

“Justice Amy Coney Barrett is a reminder to millions of Americans why they voted for President Trump in the first place.

“She is now the third solid, conservative Justice appointed to the Supreme Court by the President and she will apply the Constitution and not turn the Court into a super legislature.

“Her nomination and confirmation exposed the radical leftist plan to pack the Court by expanding its size, and also put Joe Biden on the spot. He must now come clean with the American people, reveal his list of prospective Justices, explain his position on court packing, and stop telling voters that they ‘don’t deserve’ to know what he thinks.”

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden

“The rushed and unprecedented confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as Associate Justice to the Supreme Court, in the middle of an ongoing election, should be a stark reminder to every American that your vote matters.

“Just a few days after Election Day next week, the Supreme Court will hear the case on the Affordable Care Act. While panicked and erratic in mishandling the pandemic, Donald Trump has been crystal clear on one thing — he wants to tear down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety and take away your health care and protections for pre-existing conditions.

“This goal — the goal of the Republican Party for 10 years — was a litmus test in selecting this nominee, regardless of the damage done to the U.S. Senate, to Americans’ faith in the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and to our democracy, and regardless of how the Affordable Care Act has protected hundreds of millions of people before and during the pandemic.

“If you want to protect your health care, if you want your voice to be heard in Washington, if you want to say no, this abuse of power doesn’t represent you — then turn out and vote.

“Vote for a president, for Members of Congress, and candidates up and down the ticket who actually have a plan for health care, and who will build on the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage, bring down costs, and give you more choices.”