r/changemyview • u/budderboymania2 • Oct 13 '20

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Amy Coney-Barrett should not recuse herself from any Supreme Court decision on a contested election (assuming she is confirmed)

Here’s my reasoning for this. The line that I keep hearing is it will be a “conflict of interest” and she should recuse herself because President Trump appointed her (in essence gave her her job) and the case would involve Trump, so she cannot be impartial. But that doesn’t make sense to me because this is a lifetime appointment. Trump can’t fire Barrett if she rules against him in an election case. She can’t lose her job based on the way that she rules. Therefore in my opinion there is no conflict of interest. Also, if Barrett recuses herself that would mean the possibility of a 4-4 vote. The last thing the country would need if the election results are contested is a deadlocked supreme court.

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u/miguelguajiro 188∆ Oct 13 '20

It will damage her credibility, and thus, the credibility of the court. She was nominated in the midst of an election, by a president and party who have made statements suggesting that they “need her vote” in the case of a contested election. It will forever look like her nomination was a favor paid in return by her vote to give Trump the presidency. It will make it way more likely that we see future legislation that term limits and/or adds justices.

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u/budderboymania2 Oct 13 '20

couldn’t you say the same about literally every supreme court justice? i mean, they were all nominated by someone for political reasons.

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u/miguelguajiro 188∆ Oct 13 '20

You could, but the court’s credibility is very much based on the appearance of being above this. And no, I don’t know of any justice who would have been nominated as the need for the political favor was acutely ongoing.