WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) joined WEVV TV’s Jessica Hartman in Owensboro, WBKO TV’s Kelly Dean in Bowling Green, WYMT TV’s Madison Pergrem in Hazard, and WKDZ Radio’s Alan Watts in Cadiz on Tuesday to discuss Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. See below for highlights:
WEVV reports: "We've been operating consistent with the CDC guidelines and the recommendation of our physician since May," McConnell explained. "I don't think the coronavirus is going to in any way impact the Senate's ability to do its work. And we have a big job to do with the confirmation of a new Supreme Court Justice."
President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to be the new high court justice, and according to Sen. McConnell, it's "imperative" to move forward with the process.
"We have a great nominee. The president's picked the single-best person in the country to succeed the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This is a woman of extraordinary accomplishment," McConnell stated. "She's a terrific nominee with a great life story. I think the American people are going to see that on full display when the hearings begin in the judiciary committee next week."
Sen. McConnell says despite two senators on the judiciary committee testing positive recently, he thinks Monday's hearing will be able to be held safely with no issues. Those who choose to can join the hearing virtually.
WBKO reports: “What I can do is speak for myself, and I do think wearing a mask is critically important. I’ve tried to be a good example myself going back to May. We’ve been operating in the Senate since May, following CDC guidelines, wearing masks practicing social distancing. And in fact, the only incidences we’ve had in the senate by and large have been a result of an event somewhere else not here in the Capitol.”
Meanwhile, Senator McConnell says the COVID outbreak among republican leaders won’t be enough to delay the speedy supreme court confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett.
“We know how to operate safely. Look, if somebody becomes infected at the fire department, you don’t shut the fire department down. The Senate is an essential workplace. Now, we can work our way through this. We have several members in quarantine at the moment. But we’re not in session right now. We will be again on the 19th. And I’m confident, we can work our way through both the hearings in committee and the votes subsequently on the floor.”
WYMT reports: Focusing on President Trump’s supreme court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
"I anticipate she will get a unanimous well-qualified rating from the American Bar Association. The president could not have picked a more outstanding nominee and you’ll begin to see her at the hearings which begin next Monday."
Also commenting on his democrat colleague’s concerns to hold the hearing virtually.
“Multiple hearings here in the Senate have been done sometimes the witnesses were remote sometimes the senators were remote. We are using modern technology to continue to work," said McConnell.
WKDZ reports: United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he is ready to move forward with confirming the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court.
During a conversation with the News Edge, the Majority Leader said President Trump made an excellent choice to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“[Judge Amy Coney Barrett is] a remarkable American, a great family, seven kids, two of them adopted, one special needs child, so she’s got a great family and of course has led an extraordinary professional life as well….She also clerked for Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court who was arguably the most prominent Supreme Court Justice of our era and she is, I think, highly likely to get a unanimous high qualified from the American Bar Association. So the President has picked an outstanding nominee and we will move forward and confirm her in the very near future.”
