'Illegitimate': Democrats swiftly move to delegitimize Amy Coney Barrett with organized talking points

It took just minutes after Amy Coney Barrett was officially nominated to the Supreme Court for Democrats to recirculate organized talking points in an attempt to delegitimize Barrett and her nomination.

"I will refuse to treat this process as legitimate & will not meet with Judge Amy Coney Barrett," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) tweeted.

Blumenthal's promise came at the end of a lengthy Twitter rant in which he called Barrett's nomination an "illegitimate sham process" and recycled an organized attack against Barrett: that her likely spot on the Supreme Court will endanger health care rights and "women who just want to be able to decide when & how to have a family."

Of course, Blumenthal's second attack — that Barrett poses a threat to women — is a statement glistening with irony as Democrats spent Friday and Saturday attacking Barrett precisely because she has seven children and two of those children are adopted from Haiti.

Nearly every Democratic lawmaker who tweeted in response to Barrett's nomination claimed Barrett will threaten health care access and so-called female reproductive rights, a clear indication the talking points were organized.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

For four years, President Trump has tried to crush the Affordable Care Act. With his Supreme Court nominee, he is threatening the destruction of every benefit and protection of the ACA, including life-saving protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.):

Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court is the product of a corrupt, illegitimate process that undermines the will of the American people. Alongside her dangerous, ultra-conservative record, she's not fit to serve on the Supreme Court.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.):

1. This entire process is illegitimate.

2. We knew that anyone on Trump's list would represent a grave threat to Roe & ACA—including Barrett. Now GOP Senators will have to decide if they are truly willing to take away millions' rights & health care in the middle of a pandemic.

Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii):

Barrett has an ideological agenda she won't acknowledge and an expressed willingness to overturn Supreme Court precedent. Her agenda poses a direct threat to health care, a woman's right to control her body, the rights of LGBTQ Americans, and other individual and civil rights.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.):

Trump's hand-picked successor to Justice Ginsburg's seat makes it clear: they intend to destroy the Affordable Care Act & overturn Roe. This selection would move the court further right for a generation & harm millions of Americans. I strongly oppose Judge Barrett's nomination.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.):

The American people should make no mistake: A vote by any Senator for Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a vote to eliminate health care for millions in the middle the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats are fighting for Americans' health care.

Meanwhile, Ed Markey (D-Conn.) said again that Democrats should retaliate for Barrett's nomination by packing the Supreme Court with ideologically liberal justices and ending the filibuster if they return to power.

"If the Senate Republicans confirm Judge Barrett, Democrats must move to end the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court in the next Congress," Markey said.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham confirmed Saturday that Barrett's nomination hearings will begin Oct. 12.