NEW YORK (WWTI) — Dozens of groups have submitted letters throughout first days of the Supreme Court of the United States confirmation hearing.

Several groups have written letters to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer requesting the delay of the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. Their request details this nomination to be set back to after the 2021 presidential inauguration.

The letter addressed to Senator Schumer was submitted on day one of the Supreme Court of the United States confirmation hearings. Groups included Common Cause/NY, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and New York Communities for Changes.

The full letter is included below:

Senator Schumer:

We the undersigned New York organizations are united in alarm over the illegitimate rush to force confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee in the U.S. Senate in October.

We represent just a fraction of concerned Americans; be assured that all eyes are on you, and we need you to act. There must be no confirmation before the 2021 presidential inauguration.

The 27 organizations below all work towards equity and justice in many different issue areas –elections, healthcare, reproductive justice, housing, LGBTQ and gender rights, education, civil rights, environmental justice, police reform, immigrant and racial justice, and workers rights.

Every one of the issues to which we are devoted has been addressed, at one time or another, by the U.S. Supreme Court–and will almost certainly be again.

We urge you to expand your playbook and legislative toolkit:

● We urge you to assemble a “war room” of the best legal and political minds to brainstorm a broad and creative plan of strategies both outside and within the Congress.

● We urge you to convene a core team of Democratic Senators ready to take the floor at all times and execute these strategies.

● We urge you to use every possible procedure at your disposal to prevent this nomination from moving forward, including denying unanimous consent, preventing adjournments and other suggestions contained in the attached opinion piece by our colleagues Zephyr Teachout and David Segal that ran in the NY Daily News.

We expect that as the Minority Leader you will bring the full weight of the entire Democratic Caucus to this effort, as well as coordinate with Speaker Pelosi to ensure that any procedural tools available through House action are not overlooked.

A Supreme Court justice rules on life and death issues for millions of Americans.

The illegitimate and hypocritical rush to confirm a nominee before the election is an appalling attempt to weigh the scales against the Affordable Care Act (argument is scheduled for November 10) and the outcome of any 2020 election cases that may go before the Court.

Protect our healthcare. Use your bully pulpit and enlist allies to explain to the public what is at stake in terms of health care coverage, personal bankruptcy due to health bills, and exclusions of preexisting conditions including COVID-19 positivity, from health insurance coverage.

Protect our vote. Voters are currently casting their ballots in an election that is already being heavily litigated, including major election-related cases on which the nominee would potentially have a decisive impact. The rush to confirm Trump’s nominee is a blatant attempt to silence the voices and nullify the votes of millions of Americans.

Our concerns have multiplied since learning that the President and possibly others in his administration have contracted COVID. The Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee refuses to be tested for COVID-19 and two additional members have confirmed that they have contracted the virus. This is no time to be rushing through a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.

Capitulation by Democratic leadership to a rushed SCOTUS nomination is not acceptable. The consequences are too dire and now, the political uncertainty too great. Senator Schumer, stand firm and we will stand with you. If you need our assistance in this effort, in communicating and mobilizing, we are ready.

Susan Lerner, Executive Director Common Cause/NY; Maria Quackenbush, co-founder Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance; Tasha Williams, Pres, Board of Directors Grassroots Action NY; Jaron Benjamin Housing Works, Inc.;
Jeff Mikkelson Hudson Valley Demands New York Health; Barbara A Walsh Hudson Valley Strong Indivisible;
Lisa Raymond-Tolan Indivisible Nation BK; Trish Anderton Inwood Indivisible; Rachel McCullough Jews for Racial & Economic Justice; Robert A. K. Gonyo League of Independent Theater; Lisa Tyson Long Island Progressive Coalition;
Javier Valdes and Deborah Axt (Co-Executive Directors Make the Road NY); Mark Hannay, Director Metro New York Health Care for All; John Park MinKwon Center for Community Action; Melody Lopez New York Civic Engagement Table;
Jonathan Westin New York Communities For Change; George Albro – Co-Chair New York Progressive Action Network;
Jonathan Bix Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson; Judith Hertzberg PersistNY; Mark O’Brien Pro Bono Net; Betsy Plum Riders Alliance; Brian Romero, President of SDNYC; Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC; Michael Kink, Executive Director Strong Economy For All Coalition; Michael McKee, Treasurer Tenants Political Action Committee; Judith Hertzberg True Blue New York; Rory Betnstein Water for Grassroots; Karen Watson WHARR (Womxn’s Health and Reproductive Rights)