Updated 4:22 p.m.
Amy Coney Barrett has said repeatedly at her confirmation hearings that she’d be her own judge if she’s confirmed to the Supreme Court. But she was careful not to take on the president who nominated her. And she sought to create distance between herself and her own personal positions, past writings on controversial subjects and even her late mentor.
Three days of testimony were gaveled to a close on Wednesday afternoon.
Acknowledging the deeply divided Senate, Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham said, “The hope was not to change anybody's mind.”
But he said Americans had a chance to hear directly from President Donald Trump’s nominee.
Senators will next meet privately to review the FBI assessment of the appellate court judge, as is standard practice, before reconvening Thursday to hear from outside advocacy groups.
Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court to take the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg seems inevitable, as even some Senate Democrats acknowledged on Wednesday. The shift would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court and would be the most pronounced ideological change in 30 years, from the liberal icon Ginsburg to the conservative appeals court judge.
Underscoring the Republicans’ confidence, Graham set an initial committee vote on the nomination for Thursday, the last day of hearings.
Read More: NPR Updates from the Barrett Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings
