Watch Amy Coney Barrett argue in 2016 against replacing Supreme Court justices with those of opposite ideologies

Federal judge Amy Coney Barrett seemed to make a case against her own nomination back in 2016.
Barrett, a conservative, is reportedly Trump's top choice to replace the liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week. The move would give the court a resounding conservative majority just weeks before the presidential election — something Barrett had a problem with four years ago.
When Justice Antonin Scalia died in early 2016, the Republican Senate steamrolled former President Barack Obama's nominee to replace him. The move left a vacancy on the court for more than a year until conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch was confirmed. And to Barrett, a former clerk of Scalia's whose judicial philosophy looks a lot like his, it was the right thing to do.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In a 2016 interview with CBS News, Barrett argued against replacing a justice during an election year if the Senate and president were of different political parties. That was especially true in Scalia's case, as replacing him, "the stanchest conservative justice on the court," with an Obama nominee could "dramatically flip the balance of power," Barrett continued.
Barrett's argument could also apply in 2020, as her confirmation to the court would leave just three nominees by Democratic presidents on the bench and secure a solid conservative majority.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
The battle for 21st century naturism laid bare
In The Spotlight Nudist lifestyle falling out of favour in Germany but naked attraction is on the rise in the UK
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why do young people love ASMR?
Podcast Plus can US football stamp out homophobia? And why is Scottish Gallic getting a TV boost?
By The Week UK Published
-
ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suit
Speed Read The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments law
Speed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriage
Speed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published