23 Oct 2020

US Supreme Court vote to take place next Monday

From Morning Report, 6:09 am on 23 October 2020

The US Senate judiciary committee has this morning approved a confirmation vote next Monday for Amy Coney Barrett - Donald Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

The process was boycotted by the 10 Democrats on the committee, who say the protest has been rushed, and that the seat should stay empty until the presidential election.

All 12 Republican committee members, including chair Lindsay Graham, voted in favour.

Barrett's appointment would mark a major swing in the ideological balance of the court - potentially for decades.

In an address outside the senate, Democrat Senate minority leader Chuck Shumer said the vote was a sham.

Washington Correspondent Simon Marks speaks to Corin Dann.