Amy Coney Barrett pledges ‘open mind’ and plays down conservative record

  • Nominee avoids answering directly on how she would rule
  • Lindsey Graham hails ‘woman who is unashamedly pro-life’

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump’s nominee to the US supreme court, promised to keep an “open mind” when considering cases before the court during a final round of questioning on Wednesday, as Republicans declared her confirmation all but assured despite Democrats’ forceful opposition.

Members of the Senate judiciary committee on Wednesday att...

Amy Coney Barrett hearing begins third day with more questioning from senators – live

A bit of non-hearing news: a judge has extended the voter registration deadline in Virginia after an accidentally cut cable caused the online system to shut down yesterday.

The AP reports:

Wednesday’s order by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. in Richmond is an effort to make up for several hours of lost time on Tuesday, which had been the last day to register before the November general election.

The shutdown of the state’s website caused ‘a tremendous harm’ to the people who want to register to vote, Gibney said.

During his questioning of Amy Coney Barrett, Republican Chuck Grassley made the bizarre claim that Democrats “don’t really care about Obamacare.”

“This is all a charade. It’s time to get real. This is all just a distraction,” Grassley said. “They want government-run Medicare for All.”

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Kamala Harris grilling prompts doubtful claim from Amy Coney Barrett

Democratic senator and vice-presidential nominee condemns Republican push to overturn healthcare law and abortion rights

Kamala Harris delivered a blistering rebuke of Republican efforts to tear down healthcare and abortion access as she grilled Amy Coney Barrett, prompting the supreme court nominee to make the unbelievable claim that she was not aware of Donald Trump’s campaign promise to appoint justices who would dismantle Obamacare.

Speaking via teleconference during Barret...

Amy Coney Barrett faces questions on legal record as nomination hearings continue – live

  • First of two days of questioning for Barrett begins
  • What Barrett’s likely confirmation means
  • Pete Buttigieg emerges as Biden’s unlikely Fox News fighter
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One other extraordinary dodge today: Barrett said that while she has “read things about climate change”, she does not have “firm views on it”.

The ‘untouched mass power’ of Latino voters could be the secret to a Biden victory

Pennsylvania is a must-win battleground state if the Democrats are to reclaim the White House, and the Latino communities could play a crucial role – if they vote

Carlos Ivan Robles will vote for the first time next month because his life depends on it.

Robles, a 51-year-old Puerto Rican who’s lived in eastern Pennsylvania for almost three decades, suffered a stroke in 2014 and relies on Obamacare to cover medical bills and prescription charges that he cannot afford.

Contin...

Amy Coney Barrett’s hearing kicks off with hypocrisy and healthcare | David Smith

Republicans sought to normalise her rushed nomination while Democrats maintained a laser-like focus on the future of Obamacare

  • Barrett supreme court hearing sets stage for partisan clash

That was rich. Senate Republicans, otherwise known as Donald Trump’s Praetorian Guard, lined up on Monday to pay pious homage to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the separation of powers and the halcyon days of political bipartisanship.

Related: What Amy Coney Barrett's likely confirmatio...

Amy Coney Barrett supreme court nomination hearings begin in Washington – live

During the break in Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination hearing, Trump urged Republicans to push their own healthcare agenda in their opening statements.

We will have Healthcare which is FAR BETTER than ObamaCare, at a FAR LOWER COST,” Trump said in a tweet. “PEOPLE WITH PRE EXISTING CONDITIONS WILL BE PROTECTED AT AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL THAN NOW.”

We will have Healthcare which is FAR BETTER than ObamaCare, at a FAR LOWER COST - BIG PREMIUM REDUCTION. PEOPLE WITH PRE EXISTING CONDITIONS WILL BE PROTECTED AT AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL THAN NOW. HIGHLY UNPOPULAR AND UNFAIR INDIVIDUAL MANDATE ALREADY TERMINATED. YOU’RE WELCOME!

We have reached the first break in Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination hearing before the Senate judiciary committee.

The hearing is scheduled to reconvene in about 35 minutes, when more members of the committee will deliver their opening statements.

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Trump claims he no longer has Covid-19 and is ‘immune’ – live updates

Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has said Donald Trump’s supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett should, if confirmed, step aside from contentious cases.

Reuters reports:

Democratic opposition to Barrett on policy issues has focused on her possible role in deciding a case before the Supreme Court in which Trump and Republican-led states are seeking to invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare law, often called Obamacare.

“She doesn’t come unbiased and that’s why she should recuse herself,” Schumer said on Sunday.

Donald Trump claims he is immune to Covid-19 – video

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Holy war: Republicans eager to focus Amy Coney Barrett hearings on religion

GOP senators believe painting Democrats as attacking the supreme court nominee’s faith could help save seats in November

When Donald Trump’s latest supreme court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, arrives before the Senate judiciary committee for her confirmation hearings on Monday, Democrats will be out to raise an alarm that Barrett could help strike down the Affordable Care Act in the very first case she hears.

But in the weeks leading up to the hearings, Republicans have been out ...

‘They’re coming for you’: Harris slams Trump and Pence on healthcare – video

One of the most memorable moments of the vice-presidential debate was on healthcare, when Harris issued a stark warning about the Trump administration’s intentions.

Trump is seeking to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, which prevents health companies turning away patients with pre-existing conditions.

'If you have a pre-existing condition, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, they’re coming for you. If you love someone who has a pre-existing con...