Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Sonia Sotomayor speak with U.S. governors

(26 Feb 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington - 23 February 2024
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
1. Various of Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Sonia Sotomayor walking on stage, sitting down as people clap
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Supreme Court Justice:
"Thankfully for us, presidents don't last that long, right? There's eight years. So for us to be beholden to one of them is a little crazy. No, seriously there is built into the system a protection which is lifetime appointment that should give us the freedom to grow as we grow in the job as well."
3. Pan to Justice Barrett
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Supreme Court Justice:
"And not just beholden to a president, but not to a political party either. I mean, so in that sense, we have a luxury that many of you in this room don't. You know, we -- The life tenure does insulate us from politics. And so that it's not just that we're not Obama judges and Trump judges, but we're also not Democratic judges or Republican judges. We don't sit on opposite sides of an aisle. We all wear the same color black robe. We don't have red robes and blue robes. You know, our loyalty lies all to the Constitution and to the court. And I'm glad you brought that up, that I should be talking about the times when we agree, which is more often than not. And I wish I had the statistics at the at the ready."
5. Mid of Justices Barrett and Sotomayor speaking on stage
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Supreme Court Justice:
"Justice Sotomayor and I have been on opposite sides of difficult issues. You know, last year there was this student loan case and I joined the Chiefs majority opinion and Justice Sotomayor joined Justice Kagan's dissent. There was a vigorous debate in the country about the student loan forgiveness program. But the opinion didn't mirror that debate. It wasn't about whether loan forgiveness is a good thing or a bad thing or a desirable thing or not. It was about the scope of a statute. And so I think there are many reasons to criticize the court's work and any number of cases. And, you know, Justice Kagan and the Chief Justice in that case had an impressive back and forth with both making excellent arguments. But you can't know, whether you agree or disagree with what the court did, because it's not based just on policy, bottom line, without seeing the reason for why the court's reached the result that it did."
7. Wide of Justices Barret and Sotomayor listening to a question, Zoom in as they answer
8. Mid of National Governor's Association signs behind the stage
9. Mid of Justices Barrett and Sotomayor speaking on stage
++BLACK FRAMES++
10. Various of Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Sonia Sotomayor leaving the stage
STORYLINE:
U.S. Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Sonia Sotomayor spoke as part of a panel about tackling disagreement at a time of deep political polarization.

The justices from the court’s liberal and conservative wings were joined by a Republican and a Democratic governor for the discussion at the National Governor’s Association.

"I don't think collegiality is going to make you change your principles," said Barrett highlighting that all of the Justices have lunch together and share parts of their personal lives to connect on a deeper level.

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, is facing declining public trust. Confidence in the nation’s highest court sank to its lowest point in 50 years in 2022 in the way of the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark case on abortion.








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