AFA Action Asks Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham to Rule Attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Religious Faith Out of Order
TUPELO, Miss. —Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett started this morning in Washington, D.C. President Trump called his nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States “one of our nation’s most brilliant and gifted legal minds…”
AFA Action (afaaction.net), the governmental affairs division of the American Family Association (AFA, afa.net), sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham this morning, urging him as the presiding officer of the Senate Judiciary Committee to rule any attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's religious faith out of order. The letter, signed by Rob Chambers, Vice President of AFA Action, is featured here:
Chairman Graham,
We commend you for your strident efforts to confirm constitutionalist judges appointed by President Trump. We are also thankful for your steadfast commitment to the confirmation
process of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Over 59,000 supporters of AFA Action and American Family Association have signed a petition urging you to protect the religious liberty of Judge Barrett during her confirmation
hearing.
The petition states:
“Senate Judiciary Chairman Graham,
“Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states, ‘[N]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.’”
“I urge you, as the presiding officer of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to rule any attack on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's religious faith out of order.
“It's time to stand against any unconstitutional, anti-religious bigotry.”
We recall the religious, bigoted attacks Judge Barrett was subjected to in this committee during her 2017 hearing for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) attacked Judge Barrett’s religious faith during her confirmation hearing.
Sen. Durbin asked Judge Barrett, “Do you consider yourself an Orthodox Catholic?” Later, Sen. Feinstein blatantly attacked Judge Barrett’s religious faith by saying:
“Why is it that so many of us on this side have this very uncomfortable feeling that, you know, dogma and law are two different things, and I think whatever religion is,
it has its own dogma. The law is totally different, and I think in your case, professor, when I read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly
within you.”
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states, “[N]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Yet, Sen. Durbin and
Sen. Feinstein violated the U.S. Constitution by using Judge Barrett’s faith as a qualifying test during the Judiciary Committee hearing. If similar attacks come against Judge Barrett,
we urge you to rule these constitutional violations out of order.
Chairman Graham, we have witnessed how you have come under attacks very similar to those against Judge Barrett. We will be praying for you during this confirmation process. More specifically, we pray that the Lord God Almighty will place a shield of protection about you and protect you from harm and give you the patience to endure relentless attacks. We pray the Lord will give you the wisdom, courage, and discernment you need during the confirmation process.
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For more than 40 years, the American Family Association has operated within the mission to inform, equip, and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture and give aid to the church here and abroad in its task of fulfilling the Great Commission. Visit AFA Action Alerts here.
View the media page for AFA here. For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.
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