Trump Taps Amy Coney Barrett for SCOTUS

Watchdog: Trump Pick Sided with Corporations Over People 76% of the Time 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Several outlets are now reporting that President Trump plans to tap Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the vacant Supreme Court seat previously held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As the nation reels from the administration’s ongoing failure to respond appropriately to COVID-19 — reaching a staggering 202,000 deaths last weekend and seven million infections this week and no additional progress on a relief bill in sight — Trump and his Senate allies have turned their attention away from the pandemic and toward ramming through a new pick for the high court with the utmost urgency. 

“With President Trump’s long history of putting the interests of the wealthy and well-connected ahead of the American people, his choice to tap Amy Coney Barrett for Justice Ginsburg’s former seat comes as little surprise,” said Kyle Herrig, president of government watchdog Accountable.US. “Barrett has proven time and again that protecting businesses — not people — is her top priority. This nomination is yet another slap in the face by the Trump administration to the small businesses and workers who continue to struggle during these public health and economic crises.” 

Americans are facing an uphill battle as the nation enters its eighth month battling the coronavirus. As the pandemic continues to rage, there is urgent, widespread need for affordable and accessible health care. And since the economic crisis cannot be fixed without first addressing the public health crisis, there is need for grave concern about the bleak prospects for workers and mom-and-pop businesses in coming months without additional small business relief — even after more than 100,000 businesses have been forced to shutter. 

While Barrett’s judicial record is thin, her actions already clearly favor corporations. An analysis by government watchdog Accountable.US found that Barrett ruled in favor of corporations over people a whopping three out of every four times during her tenure on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. And Barrett has been vocal about her opposition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — a dangerous prospect for the millions of Americans who rely on the law to access affordable, quality care and as the Court will consider the law once again in the upcoming term, mere weeks after Election Day.