Shortly before the Monday Senate voted to confirm then-Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in a 52-48 vote, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt whined about Republicans getting the nomination through without any votes from Democrats. And on ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir gaslit his viewers with a lie about how fast Barrett’s confirmation was.
Refusing to address Barrett with her rightful title of judge, Holt moaned about how the GOP-led Senate was able to confirm Barrett despite the childish antics of Democrats. “And the Senate tonight is expected to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as the next justice of the Supreme Court without any Democrats voting in her favor,” he whined.
NBC congressional correspondent Kasie Hunt touted how “every Democrat is expected to oppose her over concerns of abortion and particularly health care…” Adding: “But there's nothing they can do to stop the nomination. And if she is confirmed as expected with only Republican votes, it will be the most partisan confirmation in Supreme Court history.”
Hunt’s claim was ridiculous hyperbole without any basis in reality. Every Supreme Court nomination from President Trump had received similar vote margins to Barrett’s. And that’s not to mention the Justice Kavanaugh fiasco.
Speaking of lying about the facts, ABC’s Monday evening coverage of Barrett’s impending confirmation was bases entirely on a massive lie.
“The Senate is now set to vote on President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, just a short time from now. Judge Amy Coney Barrett on track to be confirmed in record time,” announced Muir. But that was nowhere near true.
Justice Barrett was confirmed in 28 days. And according to the Senate’s records, Chief Justice John Roberts was confirmed in 24 days, Justice John Paul Stevens was confirmed in 19 days, and Salmon Chase (nominated by President Lincoln) was confirmed in a day. You can’t get much faster than that.
But despite these facts, ABC senior national correspondent Terry Moran just played along. “David, you’re absolutely right,” he declared. Perhaps realizing Muir’s error, Moran then tried to massage what Muir meant by “confirmed in record time.”
“This is a record that the Senate will be setting tonight, because Amy Coney Barrett is certain to become Justice Barrett tonight and she will be confirmed closer to Election Day than any Supreme Court justice in American history,” he spun.
Sorry, Terry. Lose lies were not going to fly.
Moran wrapped up the segment by complaining about how Barrett refused to commit to recusing herself from votes dealing with 2020 election issues. “And she will also hear election-related cases that could decide who wins. She hasn't said whether or not she'll recuse herself on those,” he griped.
These network gripes and lies were made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Prevagen on ABC and WeatherTech on NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can reach out and tell them about the biased news they’re funding.
The transcripts are below, click “expand” to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
October 26, 2020
6:46:29 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: We are also following the other major headline from Washington tonight. The Senate is now set to vote on President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, just a short time from now. Judge Amy Coney Barrett on track to be confirmed in record time. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell telling Republicans Democrats won't be able to do much about this for a long time to come. ABC's Terry Moran live at the Supreme Court for us tonight. Terry?
TERRY MORAN: David, you’re absolutely right. This is a record that the Senate will be setting tonight, because Amy Coney Barrett is certain to become Justice Barrett tonight and she will be confirmed closer to Election Day than any Supreme Court justice in American history.
And you can see why they want to do it, in what Mitch McConnell said. That he and other Republicans are looking at those polls, they're concerned that they could lose not just the White House, but the Senate, as well, so they want to get her on the court.
Once on the court, the week after the election, she faces a huge case that she will be able to hear and rule on, on the Affordable Care Act, whether they'll strike it all down with its protections for more than 130 million Americans who have pre-existing conditions. And she will also hear election-related cases that could decide who wins. She hasn't said whether or not she'll recuse herself on those. David?
MUIR: All right, Terry Moran on Capitol Hill tonight. Terry, thank you.
NBC Nightly News
October 26, 2020
7:04:39 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: And the Senate tonight is expected to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as the next justice of the Supreme Court without any Democrats voting in her favor. NBC's Kasie Hunt is following it all for us. Kasie, where do things stand?
KASIE HUNT: Lester, good evening. The Senate tonight racing to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett as Justice Barrett. The final vote on the nomination scheduled for later tonight, just one month after President Trump announced his pick for the supreme court.
Every Democrat is expected to oppose her over concerns of abortion and particularly health care with the court expected to hear a case that could determine the future of the Affordable Care Act just days after the election.
But there's nothing they can do to stop the nomination. And if she is confirmed as expected with only Republican votes, it will be the most partisan confirmation in Supreme Court history. Lester?
HOLT: All right. Kasie Hunt on Capitol Hill for us, thanks.
