Declare Your Independence from Target (1)

TUPELO, Miss.—The American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) has sent an important letter to President Donald Trump on the nomination of the next Supreme Court Justice.

“Thank you for nominating Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States,” writes AFA President Tim Wildmon. “His record thus far is a great indicator that he will be a blessing to this nation and to your legacy for decades to come. The retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy provides you with the historic opportunity to place a fifth constitutionalist on the Supreme Court and to secure a constitutional majority for the first time in decades. Accordingly, we believe that your nomination of the next Supreme Court Justice is one of the most important decisions of your presidency.

“Therefore, we prayerfully, strongly and humbly implore you to select the nominee with a demonstrably constitutional judicial philosophy and a verifiably strong will against political pressure,” Wildmon continued. “Moreover, we encourage you to reject any nominee who is merely ‘good,’ but to nominate only the best.”

AFA added that the pro-family organization is convinced that the best nominee on the president’s list of 25 prospects is Judge Amy Coney Barrett, for eight reasons:

1. Judge Barrett is not a Stealth Nominee. Her judicial philosophy is well known from her many academic writings, so she would not be a dreaded stealth nominee who would provoke conservative opposition. If the present Senate is unwilling to confirm the best nominee, then the seat can remain vacant during the election, and the people will elect a Senate who will confirm the best nominee. It is better to have a vacancy until next year than to fill the seat with a weak nominee who will betray President Trump’s legacy and the Constitution for the next 40 years.
2. Judge Barrett has a Constitutionalist Judicial Philosophy. She has consistently held to the constitutionally essential view that judges should never legislate their personal views from the bench.
3. Judge Barrett has a Prestigious Résumé. As a former clerk who worked at the Supreme Court for Justice Antonin Scalia and as a Notre Dame law professor, Barrett has the necessary training, knowledge and philosophy to serve on the Supreme Court.
4. Judge Barrett has more Judicial Experience than Elena Kagan. Barrett already has more judicial experience than Kagan had when she was nominated to the Supreme Court, so any liberal opponents will be unable to claim that Barrett needs more judicial experience.
5. Judge Barrett is Tested. Barrett was rigorously tested during her hearing last year before the Senate Judiciary Committee. This hearing not only endeared her to constitutionalists and religious conservatives but revealed the strategy of her opponents to attack her religious faith. The opposition was handled brilliantly by Senate leadership who used the attacks to expose her opponents as intolerant, tone-deaf, religious bigots.
6. Judge Barrett is Confirmable. She was confirmed with 55 bi-partisan votes, one more vote than Justice Gorsuch received. The stakes are certainly higher with a Supreme Court Justice, but her vote would go before all but one of the same Senators who just voted for her confirmation. She could lose five votes (e.g., two Republicans and three Democrats) and still be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
7. Judge Barrett has a Compelling Personal Story that pre-empts the liberal playbook. Liberals had a miserable time using their tired playbook of attacks against Barrett’s last confirmation because she has a compelling and compassionate life story. She and her husband have seven children, one with special needs, and several were adopted from Haiti. Attempts to label her an “uncompassionate bigot” will fail.
8. Judge Barrett Represents a Known Quantity. Because she was just confirmed, it is evident constitutionalists and conservatives back her; the Senate leadership fought for her confirmation with press conferences, floor speeches and the final vote. In addition, her opponents have already revealed their strategies to stop her nomination.

“President Trump,” AFA continued, “you have the historic opportunity to reverse a 50-year trend and bring a constitutional renaissance to the Supreme Court, the entire federal judiciary and, hence, the nation. No president has ever accomplished this feat. Accordingly, your nomination of the next Supreme Court Justice may be the most important decision of your presidency and will define your legacy for generations to come. We pray for you without ceasing and pledge to work tirelessly for Judge Barrett’s historic confirmation to the United States Supreme Court.”

Read the entire AFA letter to President Trump here.

American Family Association is available to do immediate breaking news interviews via its LTN line at AFA studio headquarters. Contact Media@HamiltonStratetgies.com for more information or call 610.584.1096, ext. 102.

For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or on Twitter @AmericanFamAssc. Read more about AFA.

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To interview a representative from American Family Association, contact Deborah Hamilton, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, 610.584.1096, ext. 102, or Emily Brunner, ext. 100