Justice Amy Coney Barrett had a simple message for the law school’s conservative women attending the Federalist Society gala Thursday night: Don’t be afraid to reject orthodoxy.
Barrett said, “To be a conservative woman in law school, in particular, requires a lot of courage and independence and in many ways feminism looks much more than just falling into a predetermined vision of what a woman should be.”
Barrett delivered the keynote address at the influential conservative legal group’s annual dinner alongside Justice Brett Kavanaugh, two of President Trump’s three appointees. Supreme Court Nominee Justice Samuel Alito also attended but did not speak.
For decades, the Federalist Society has helped advance a range of conservative lawyers from law schools to powerful judgeships, and the group’s members helped bring In the Supreme Court’s current 6-3 conservative majority.
The group’s annual conference has created an atmosphere of excitement this year, with attendees receiving coins at the first session commemorating the recent blockbuster conservative victory at the Supreme Court.
Speaking to a packed crowd at the Washington Hilton, both Kavanaugh and Barrett were asked to reflect on the criticism and threats they have received since joining the bench.
“To all the students here: Don’t lose civility, don’t lose civility,” Kavanaugh said.
Barrett said she was not aware of people protesting or criticizing her outside her home, which, unlike college campuses, keeps them distanced from each other.
When asked about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on the University of Utah campus in September, Barrett said that “one of the most touching things” after the shooting was Kirk’s wife, Erica. pardon the suspect At her husband’s memorial.
“Take the high road like Erica Kirk and show grace and strength in the face of hate,” Barrett said.
Although neither judge mentioned Trump, Thursday’s ceremony was the Federalist Society’s first since returning to the White House.
During his first term, Trump relied on Leonard Leo, former executive vice president of the Federalist Society, to help choose his judicial nominees.
Trump has now angry at leo and group After some of Trump’s own nominees blocked aspects of his second term agenda. When a court blocked the president’s sweeping tariffs this spring, Trump called Leo was a “despicable person” and said that the Federalist Society had given him “bad advice”.
Thursday’s gala came a day after the tariff issue was heard By the Supreme Court.
