'What am I missing?': Amy Coney Barrett unable to name five freedoms in First Amendment
Ben Sasse and Amy Coney Barrett appear at Senate Judiciary Committee hearing (PBS/screen grab)
October 14, 2020
Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Wednesday struggled to name the five freedoms that are protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.
During her confirmation hearing, a Republican senator queried the Supreme Court nominee about her views on the First Amendment.
"What are the five freedoms of the First Amendment?" Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) asked.
"Speech, religion, press, assembly," Barrett replied, counting with her fingers. "I don't know. What am I missing?"
"Redress or protest," Sasse offered.
"OK," Barrett replied.
"Why is there one amendment that has these five freedoms clustered?" Sasse continued. "Why do they hang together?"
"Um, I don't know what you're getting at," Barrett said.
Watch the video below from PBS.