Politics Dominates as Amy Coney Barrett’s Confirmation Hearings Begin in Senate

Republicans, who control 53 of 100 Senate seats, have the bulk wanted to substantiate her as a Supreme Court docket justice, probably later this month. With that final result virtually assured, Democrats are taking a scattershot method, spraying a variety of damaging assaults at Republicans with the purpose of hobbling them within the elections. Republicans, assured of their present Senate majority however terrified of election losses, are concurrently working to assault Democrats, whom they accuse of getting a bias in opposition to Choose Barrett as a result of she is Catholic—a cost Democrats deny.

The stakes are excessive, with each events viewing this week’s hearings earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee as a significant probability to attraction to voters at a second when hundreds of thousands are filling of their mail-in ballots. Each are also in search of to form public views concerning the penalties of the probably end result: a 6-3 court favoring conservatives.

The listening to may have rapid electoral penalties for a number of committee members. Three Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are in robust re-election races, including the panel’s chairman, Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.). Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris can also be on the committee. Activists on each side of the partisan divide are rooting for senators to provide you with a viral second that may transfer the citizens of their most popular path.

“For the Democrats, the thought is to make it as expensive as attainable within the public sphere,” stated Matthew Glassman, a senior fellow on the Authorities Affairs Institute at Georgetown College. “For the Republicans, it’s essential to undergo the conventional course of to allow them to say this wasn’t rushed. The way it turns into understood by the general public down the highway shapes everybody else’s political futures.”

The fight, in the meantime, was already beneath approach. Republicans had been battling Democratic prices that their choice to carry the hearings confirmed poor judgment as a result of they did too little to attenuate the chance of spreading the coronavirus after two Republican committee members examined optimistic earlier this month. Mr. Graham countered on Fox Information Sunday that the listening to room had been set as much as adjust to security tips set by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention and that any committee member was free to take part remotely.

“America has to go to work Monday, together with us,” Mr. Graham stated Sunday on Fox Information. “We’re going to work. We’re going to work safely. Should you don’t need to come to the committee listening to, you’ll be able to interview the decide just about.”

In what may be an indication of the impact of the Democratic assaults, Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), a committee member whose race is rated a “toss-up” by the Prepare dinner Political Report, a nonpartisan election tracker, stated over the weekend that lawmakers ought to be examined for the coronavirus earlier than going into the listening to.

Activist teams had been working to form the messages lawmakers would convey of their opening statements slated for Monday. 9 conservative teams, joined by lawmakers together with committee members Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), have scheduled a convention name with the media throughout a day break within the Monday hearings, billing it as a part of a rapid-response effort to push again at any effort to derail Choose Barrett’s affirmation.

In the meantime, progressives appealed to Democrats to take a tricky method, saying Democrats wanted a viral second just like the one Mr. Graham had throughout the 2018 hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, when the senator from South Carolina stated Democrats had tried to destroy the nominee’s life, including: “I hope the American folks can see by means of this sham.”

Brian Fallon, govt director of the progressive group Demand Justice, stated some get together activists are upset that a number of Democratic senators held courtesy conferences with Choose Barrett earlier than the listening to. Mr. Fallon stated he wish to see the identical ardour from Democratic senators that Mr. Graham displayed in 2018. “The Democratic senators must channel a few of that as a result of the hearings are the final probability to steer voters how illegitimate that is,” he stated.

Democrats say Republicans are breaking a precedent they set in 2016, once they refused to think about Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee, as a result of it was a presidential election yr, saying the vote ought to mirror the political judgment voters make on Nov. 3. Republicans say the present scenario is completely different as a result of the Senate majority is contemplating a nomination from a president of the identical get together.

Sen. John Kennedy (R., La.) says Democrats try to delegitimize the method in a bid to justify packing the Supreme Court docket subsequent yr by including judges appointed by Joe Biden if he wins the presidency. “Why? As a result of Sen. Bernie Sanders needs to,” Mr. Kennedy said on Twitter, persevering with Republicans’ effort to hyperlink the Democratic presidential nominee to his get together’s extra liberal wing. “Mr. Biden is the nominee, however Bernie Sanders is the brand new head of the Democratic Celebration.”

Senators with White Home ambitions have labored to make use of the second to their benefit. Ms. Harris will take part within the hearings by way of an web connection from her workplace one flooring under, an aide stated, in protest of what an aide known as “Republicans’ refusal to take commonsense measures” to guard senators, workers, and different employees.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), seen as a possible 2024 presidential contender, arrange a webpage supporting Choose Barrett, scotuswarroom.com, that featured photos of himself, Mr. Trump, and the decide. Mr. Cruz, one other potential contender, had simply days earlier issued a brand new ebook concerning the Supreme Court docket that opens with an account of his personal efforts to shift the court docket to the proper. Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.), one other committee member and attainable presidential contender, declined to rule out asking Choose Barrett direct questions on whether or not she thinks the abortion-rights precedent Roe v. Wade was wrongly determined, a problem central to his personal political profile.

—Lindsay Sensible contributed to this text.

Write to Siobhan Hughes at siobhan.hughes@wsj.com