FACT CHECK: Did Amy Coney Barrett Say That ‘White People Are God’s Chosen Ones’?
A viral Facebook post shared over 1,200 times claims Judge Amy Coney Barrett said that “white people are Gods (sic) chosen ones.”
Verdict: False
There is no evidence Barrett said these statements.
Fact Check:
Barrett, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, has been considered a top contender for the Supreme Court vacancy following Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on Sept. 18, according to The Associated Press. Ginsburg died from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer at the age of 87.
The viral post attributes racist comments to Barrett, claiming, “Amy Barret (sic) says white people are Gods chosen ones. Minorities must submit to them and that’s Gods plan. Obedience.”
There is, however, no record of Barrett making the statements attributed to her in the post. Barrett faced close scrutiny during the confirmation process for her position on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, and if she had ever made the remarks, they likely would have surfaced at that point. No credible media outlets have quoted her as expressing such sentiments.
Check Your Fact also looked through judicial opinions and articles Barrett has authored and found nothing similar to what the Facebook post baselessly claims she said. (RELATED: Did Donald Trump Tweet, ‘Obama Should Wait Until He Leaves Office To Pick Another Supreme Court Justice’?)
Barrett, a devout Catholic, graduated from Notre Dame Law School, according to NPR. She has clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, worked as a lawyer in private practice in Washington, D.C., and taught at the University of Notre Dame Law School, per The Associated Press.
The New York Times reported Friday that President Donald Trump intends to nominate Barrett to the Supreme Court. Trump is expected to formally announce his nominee on Saturday, according to CNBC.