Barrett expected to reiterate belief that elected officials, not courts should make policy decisions in opening remarks
President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, is expected to reaffirm her belief that the high court's role is "to enforce the rule of law" rather than "solve every problem or right every wrong in public life" during her opening remarks, which were obtained by The Associated Press and other publications, for her Senate confirmation hearing this week.
Barrett's expected comments mirror those she made after she received the nomination last month, first focusing on her family and the path she took on her legal career before she got the call from Trump. She also pays homage to former Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg before giving a preview of her judicial philosophy. "The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people," she is expected to say. "The public should not expect courts to do so, and courts should not try."
What justices should do, she will say, is "carefully" consider "the arguments presented by the parties" and do the "utmost to reach the result required by the law," regardless of personal preferences.
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The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings are set to begin Monday, sparking controversy over their proximity to the November election. Read the full expected remarks below and read more at The Associated Press. Tim O'Donnell
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