Assistant Professor shares insight on SCOTUS confirmation hearing

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – Ball State University Assistant Professor Chad Kinsella joins ABC57 News to discuss the Supreme Court of the United States Hearings and what is at stake for Democrats and Republicans and the American people.

ABC57’s Brian Conybeare asks Kinsella, who teaches political science, about his thoughts of day one of the hearing, what to expect from a more in-depth day two and whether or not Judge Amy Coney Barrett will get confirmed before election day.

Conybeare also asks for Kinsella’s insights on Republican’s blocking former-President Barack Obama’s nominee Merrick Garland in 2016 because it was an election year, and how might that play into Judge Coney Barrett’s hearing.

Kinsella’s response to Republicans blocking former-President Obama’s nominee and pushing for President Trump’s nominee is that it’s just politics.

“It doesn’t really matter. Politics is the art of when its capable, basically. I know it’s kind of a cliché, but really it is,” said Kinsella. “At that point in time, when President Obama nominated Garland, Republicans can control the senate and also, they can block that nomination and, in this case, they can push through this nomination so politics is what you’re able to do. Things change and arguments you make in the past, you can forget now. It’s all a part of the political game.”