Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was one of 22 attorneys general to call on the U.S. Senate to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States.
“Judge Barrett is a distinguished legal scholar and an exceptional appellate judge with a track record of interpreting the Constitution according to its text and original public meaning. As we are sure your review of her exemplary record will reveal, she has the qualifications, experience, and judicial philosophy to be an outstanding Associate Justice,” the attorneys general write.
In addition to Paxton, the signers include the Attorneys General of Louisiana, Indiana, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia.
They directly address calls by Democrats to slow or even prevent the confirmation process from proceeding:
We are aware that there are those who believe the Senate should not hold a hearing on the President’s nominee. In response, we quote excerpts from a 2016 letter sent to the Senate by the Attorneys General of California, New York, and 17 other states: “The Constitution clearly sets out the process for filling a Supreme Court vacancy. The President has a duty to make a nomination.” Once the President has nominated a candidate, the Senate “has the responsibility to consider and approve or disapprove the nomination. While simple, this is the law and it should be followed.” Indeed, as the 2016 letter makes clear, “since 1900, six justices have been confirmed during election years, including Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was confirmed in the final year of the Reagan Administration.”
They then add: “Some have voiced a concern that the senators of the 116th Congress will not have enough time to adequately consider Judge Barrett’s qualifications. History and precedent show that to be untrue. Justice Ginsburg herself was confirmed 42 days after she was nominated. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s confirmation took 33 days, while Justice John Paul Stevens was confirmed 19 days after he was nominated.”
The full letter can be read on the Texas Attorney General’s website.
