The U.S. Senate on Monday night confirmed Judge Amy Coney Barrett to serve as the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice, to widespread acclaim from Second Amendment advocates.
Barrett, who currently sits as on the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Indiana, will fill the open ninth seat on the country's highest court, left vacant in the wake of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death in September after a 27-year stint. Nominated by President Donald Trump and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee over the weekend, 52 Republicans voted for Barrett's confirmation this week while all of the present Democrats, joined by Maine Republican Susan Collins, cast "no" votes.
Related: Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the Second Amendment
Barrett, who is the fifth woman to serve on the Supreme Court, was sworn in by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas at a White House ceremony directly after the vote.
Pro-gun groups, eager to put the court's new 6-3 conservative swing to the test, welcomed the news of Barrett's arrival on the bench
"Justice Barrett’s confirmation is a deeply needed source of hope for those of us living in authoritarian, anti-rights states like California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York,” said the Firearms Policy Coalition's Grassroots Director Richard Thomson. "Under our Constitution, we shouldn’t need to move to Texas or Wyoming to exercise our natural human right to keep and bear arms, and our teams are looking forward to making it possible for all law-abiding people to access and exercise their rights."
The trade group for the American firearms industry was likewise excited to see Barrett join the court.
“Justice Barrett’s service will reaffirm the importance of originalist jurists when protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans," said Lawrence G. Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and General Counsel. "The firearm industry is grateful for the resolute foresight of President Donald Trump to nominate such a qualified jurist to serve on the bench.”
Meanwhile, anti-gun groups slammed Barrett's confirmation, with billionaire Michael Bloomberg's Everytown organization issuing an immediate statement panning the occasion. A chart developed by the group, which has pledged to pour $60 million into this year's election cycle but has so far come up short, contends "nearly every" gun control law is at risk with Barrett on the court.
“In confirming Judge Barrett, Senate Republicans also confirmed that they're more worried about keeping the gun lobby happy than keeping Americans safe," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown.
Banner image: White House
