Trump "Barrett for Federal Supreme Court"... Pushed Through Just One Week After Ginsburg's Death (Comprehensive)

Barrett Nominee "Will Keep in Mind Being Ginsburg's Successor"
Republicans to Confirm by Late Next Month Before Presidential Election... Swift Action
Long-Term Conservative Shift in U.S. Supreme Court Likely

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] On the 26th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a judge of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, as the successor to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

President Trump announced that he had decided on Judge Barrett as Ginsburg's successor, saying, "I have chosen an outstanding woman as a Supreme Court Justice."

Barrett is a devout Catholic and a conservative judge with seven children. She appeared on the podium with all her children at the nomination announcement ceremony.

If Judge Barrett is confirmed by the Senate, the ideological balance of the U.S. Supreme Court will tilt further to the conservative side with a 6-3 ratio.

Trump: "Confirmation Must Be Swift"

President Trump, seemingly aware of opposition from the Democratic Party, emphasized the need to quickly push for Barrett's Senate confirmation. He said, "We must confirm swiftly."

Judge Barrett also addressed the Democrats' opposition to her confirmation, stating, "I love America and the U.S. Constitution. If confirmed, I will keep in mind who my predecessor was," while also revealing her conservative stance by saying, "Judges must apply the law as it is."

The Democratic Party is expected to launch an all-out effort to block Barrett, including delay tactics to slow down the confirmation process as much as possible. However, with the Republicans holding the majority in the Senate, it is widely believed that blocking the confirmation will be difficult.

The Senate seats are 53 for the Republicans and 47 for the Democrats including independents. Although two Republicans defected, there is no problem in passing the confirmation. Major foreign media also reported, "Since the Republicans control the Senate, confirmation seems certain."

Typically, federal Supreme Court confirmations take about 70 days, but the Republicans are planning to complete the confirmation within a month before the November presidential election.

According to CNN, the Republicans plan to hold a confirmation hearing for nominee Barrett in the third week of October and vote on the confirmation before October 29.

U.S. media believe that President Trump and the Republicans are rushing to complete the Supreme Court confirmation to prepare for the possibility of the Supreme Court intervening in the November election results.

There is also speculation that the Supreme Court may rule the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional in the constitutional review expected to begin in November. Additionally, conservative rulings are expected to continue on issues such as abortion and gun control.

However, since Chief Justice John Roberts, who leans conservative, has recently taken moderate positions, it is expected that the Court will not shift entirely to the conservative side. Chief Justice Roberts has ruled in favor of progressives on major issues such as LGBTQ rights, delivering rulings unfavorable to President Trump.