Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, questioned Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing. Ernst opened by offering Coney Barrett the opportunity to comment on any lines of questioning from earlier in the hearing. Coney Barrett then clarified comments she made to Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, earlier in the hearing regarding her views on existing judicial precedent — specifically the 2015 case Obergefell v. Hodges, which upheld marriage equality regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“In saying that I couldn’t opine on whether Obergefell was rightly decided or not, I was certainly not indicating disagreement with it,” Coney Barrett said. “The point of not answering was to simply say it’s inappropriate for me to say a response.”

In response to Ernst’s question regarding her personal beliefs on abortion versus her role as a judge, Coney Barrett said that her policy views, moral convictions and religious beliefs “do not bear” on how she decides cases, adding that that “would be in conflict” with her judicial oath. The Oct. 13 hearing comes three weeks before Election Day. The second of four days of scheduled testimony gave senators an opportunity to ask Barrett about her record and approach to the law.

Watch highlights from from Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing - Day 1:    • WATCH: Highlights from Amy Coney Barr...  

Watch highlights from Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing - Day 2:    • WATCH: Highlights from Amy Coney Barr...  

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