Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told reporters on Monday that Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s religious beliefs should not be part of her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
“No, I don’t think there should be any questions about her faith,” the former vice president said.
Republicans have repeatedly accused Democrats of attacking Barrett’s Catholic beliefs, though Democratic senators have largely aimed their criticism at policy concerns and objections to the timing of her nomination in the final weeks before the presidential election.
Biden referred back to when he and former President Obama were running against then-GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in the 2012 election.
“You may remember, I got in trouble when we were running against Sen. [Romney], who was a Mormon, he was a governor, OK? And I took him on, and nobody’s faith should be questioned,” he said.
In 2011, Biden defended Romney against suggestions that his faith made him unfit for the Oval Office, saying, “I find it preposterous that in 2011 we’re debating whether or not a man is qualified or worthy of your vote based on whether or not his religion … is a disqualifying provision.”
Democratic leaders have committed to avoiding Barrett’s religion during their examination of her, with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) saying, “Her religion is immaterial, irrelevant. That is what I said. And so that is my position.”
Barrett’s affiliation with the Catholic group People of Praise has drawn scrutiny due to their espoused beliefs on gender roles. In a 2015 issue of the group’s magazine, Vine & Branches, women were told to defer to their husbands and to enjoy submission.
“Tell him what you think about things, make your input, but let him make the decisions, and support them once they are made,” said the article.
Biden identifies as a Catholic like Barrett and has throughout his campaign sought to court this demographic, who largely voted for Trump in 2016. A EWTN News-RealClear Opinion poll released in September showed that in a group of 1,212 likely Catholic voters Biden led Trump by 12 points. If he wins the election, he would be the second president to identify as Catholic, following John F. Kennedy.