Notre Dame President Attacks Feinstein For ‘Chilling’ Grilling Of Catholic Nominee

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By Nathan Guttman September 12, 2017

When questioning appeals court judicial nominee Amy Coney Barrett, California Democrat Dianne Feinstein expressed her concern that “dogma lives loudly” within the would-be judge.

Now Feinstein’s comments made during a confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee, are drawing a wave of criticism for their insensitivity toward people of faith and the suggestion that devout Catholics cannot be objective when enforcing the rule of law.

Red State reported on a letter sent to Feinstein by Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of Notre Damme, where Barrett is a law professor.

“I ask you and your colleagues to respect those in whom ‘dogma lives loudly’ — which is a condition we call faith,” Jenkins wrote. “For the attempt to live such faith while one upholds the law should command respect, not evoke concern.”

Feinstein also heard from Princeton University president Christopher Eisgruber, who is Jewish. He wrote to her asking that senators “refrain from interrogating nominees about the religious or spiritual foundations of their jurisprudential views.”

Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected]

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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