Senators continue to question Amy Coney Barrett as the confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee enter their third day. During Tuesday's (October 13) marathon session, Barrett was asked a barrage of questions from Democrats about her judicial philosophy on a variety of hot-button issues, including gay marriage, abortion, and healthcare.
Barrett refused to provide her views on the issues, citing the "Ginsburg Rule" when questioned by California Senator Dianne Feinstein about whether the constitution guarantees a right to gay marriage.
"I'm not going to express a view on whether I agree or disagree with Justice Scalia for the same reasons that I've been giving," Barrett said. "Justice Ginsburg, with her characteristic pithiness, used this to describe how a nominee should comport herself at a hearing: no hints, no previews, no forecasts. That has been the practice of nominees before her, but everybody calls it the 'Ginsburg Rule' because she stated it so concisely, and it's been the practice of every nominee since."
Barrett was also asked her views on Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, two high-profile cases that have upheld the right for women to have abortions.
"I don't have any agenda," said Barrett. "I have no agenda to try to overrule Casey. I have an agenda to stick to the rule of law and decide cases as they come."
Democrats asked Barrett if she would recuse herself from a potential case that could decide the presidential election. She said she would consider stepping away, but did not make any promises.
"I commit to you to fully and faithfully applying the law of recusal, and part of that law is to consider any appearance questions," said Barrett. "I will apply the factors that other justices have before me in determining whether the circumstances require my recusal or not, but I can't offer a legal conclusion right now about the outcome of the decision I would reach."
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