Sunshine Sentinel

When 88 faculty members at the University of Notre Dame called on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett to delay her confirmation until after the Nov. 3 election, Milly Vazquez saw it as a cheap political ploy.

“We all know that the faculty in our universities, unfortunately, are left wing and I'm surprised because Notre Dame is a Catholic university,” said Vazquez, an attorney in Miami and a member of the Catholic faith.

Barrett was nominated by President Trump eight days after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Sept. 26 and has faced criticism because the move is so close to the presidential election.

“I am extremely proud of Amy Coney Barrett and I hope she doesn’t back out,” Vazquez told the Sunshine Sentinel. ”She portrays the values of a Catholic woman, of a mother and a professional woman. It's not easy to go to law school and be a practicing attorney with a family. She is a superwoman.”

University of Notre Dame faculty members are only one faction of society that are critical of Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Other groups include American Atheists, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Jewish Women International, Muslim Advocates and CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, according to a news release.

“What upsets me the very most is that if you look at Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, it says no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust,” said Vazquez in an interview. “Why did the pilgrims come to America? Because they were escaping religious persecution. It’s outrageous to ask her about her religion. Would they have asked a Jewish nominee? No. Would they have asked a Muslim nominee? No.” 

On Oct. 13, The Atlantic reported that Barrett was questioned about her views on abortion by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

“As Catholics we should voice our concerns,” Vazquez said. “We should be public about it and explain our beliefs but how dare they question whether Amy Coney Barrett will be a good judge or not because she's a Catholic.”

Regarding the impact that Barrett is likely to have on the political landscape if confirmed, Vazquez said Barrett is an originalist.

“She believes that the court is there to judge and she believes in the strict construction of the Constitution as opposed to making up the law as you go along," Vazquez said. "She will be another [Antonin] Scalia. She will be a fair judge but she will not interfere with the legislative branch at all, which I welcome. Judges should judge.”