President Trump has announced that 48-year-old Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett is his nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Coney Barrett graduated first in her class at Notre Dame Law School. If confirmed, this makes her the first Notre Dame graduate on the Supreme Court and the only justice who did not attend an Ivy League law school. That alone is a strong argument for confirmation. She clerked for and was a protege of late Justice Antonin Scalia. In 2017, President Trump appointed her to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals from her position as a law professor at her alma mater.

She is Roman Catholic. She belongs to a charismatic Catholic organization called People of Praise, which many on the left insist on telling folks was the model for The Handmaid’s Tale. She has seven children, two of whom are adopted from Haiti. She has one child with Downs Syndrome. Apparently, her husband lets her drive.

NEW: Judge Amy Coney Barrett and her large family left their Indiana home this afternoon dressed up for a special occasion. Our @GaryGrumbach on the scene for us. Announcement at 5pm at WH for Supreme Court nomination. pic.twitter.com/A4yVNo7jgE

— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) September 26, 2020

The fact that she holds conservative opinions, she unabashedly lives out her faith, and she is being nominated within just weeks of the presidential election promises to produce a spectacle rather than a hearing. Despite the impending circus, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell looks to have the votes to ensure confirmation.

SCOTUS hearing schedule, per @burgessev:

Monday 10/12: Opening statements
Tuesday 10/13: First round of questions
Wednesday 10/14: Second round of questions & closed session
Thursday 10/15: Outside witnesses

Barrett begins meeting with senators next weekhttps://t.co/qUN7g9GYyY

— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) September 26, 2020