For Immediate Release: October 12, 2020
Contact: Lee Morrow, [email protected], 202-601-7871

NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Launches Six-Figure Digital Ad Campaign Calling on Vulnerable Senators Graham, Ernst, and Tillis to Oppose Judge Barrett SCOTUS Confirmation

In Biggest Ad Buy in Its 47 Year History, Facebook Ads Targeting Catholic and Evangelical Voters in English and Spanish Spotlight How Judge Barrett’s Record Is Not Aligned With NETWORK’S Mission to Care for the Most Marginalized in Society

Digital Ad Campaign Calls Out How Judge Barrett Puts at Risk Affordable Health Care for 20 Million Americans

Washington, DC – On Monday, October 12, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice launched a six-figure digital ad campaign, the largest in the organization’s history, to oppose Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the United States Supreme Court. NETWORK Lobby, an advocacy and lobbying group working to organize the critical Catholic vote in the 2020 election, rejects the nomination of Judge Barrett, citing that her past rulings are not aligned with the values of those who believe in helping the most marginalized in society.

The ads launched in South Carolina, Iowa, and North Carolina on Monday and call on Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), members of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, to vote against the confirmation. Senators Graham, Ernst and Tillis are all locked in tight re-election campaigns in which Catholic and Evangelical voters will likely play a significant role in the outcome. The ads will run in both English and Spanish.

On the nomination of Judge Barrett, Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice said: “I am firmly opposed to Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Today we are launching our biggest ad campaign ever because Judge Barrett’s past rulings  do not hold all life to be sacred. As a Catholic Sister following the teachings of Pope Francis, I cannot support a judge who turn their backs on women’s rights, voting rights, immigrants rights, health care, environmental protections, and so much more.

“This crass partisan power grab by the President, Senator McConnell, and his Republican colleagues is an insult to our democracy. It is an assault on our democratic system to rush a vote while they cling to power. The people and their next chosen President must decide on the next Supreme Court Justice.”

Sr. Simone explained how NETWORK Lobby is committed to helping the most marginalized in society – including Black and Brown communities, immigrants, the elderly, women, and the sick – but Judge Barrett’s rulings demonstrate that she does not align with those principles.  Most notably, on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Barrett attacked the protections of the Affordable Care Act. Barrett also has:

• Voted to allow employment discriminations against the elderly,
• Dissented to the court’s opinion to stop the Trump Administration from denying green cards to law abiding immigrants, and
• Ruled against immigrant justice on multiple occasions, including casting the deciding vote in a case which led to the immediate deportation of a Mexican immigrant who had been a lawful permanent resident for three decades, and rejecting the claims of an immigrant who sought asylum and protections under the Convention Against Torture act.

This ad buy is just the second such campaign in the organization’s 47 year history, and it’s largest. Earlier this year, NETWORK launched it’s “Pope Francis Voter” campaign driving Catholics voters in battleground states to PopeFrancisVoter.org to learn about the issues Pope Francis says we must bring into the voting both and provide an opportunity to take the Catholic Voter Quiz to see how their beliefs compare to the candidates for President.

In August, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice encouraged its members to vote against President Trump – the first announcement of its kind in the organization’s nearly 50 year history – telling members in a statement: “Catholics cannot be true to their faith and vote for Donald Trump in November.” The group also announced the release of its Equally Sacred Scorecard for voters, which compares President Trump’s and Vice President Biden’s positions on the issues that Pope Francis names as “equally sacred” to the defense of the unborn, including caring for immigrants and ending economic inequality.

NETWORK Lobby is currently engaged in a virtual bus tour across America to encourage Catholic voters to raise awareness for the most pressing issues in our nation, elevate the experiences of marginalized communities, and vote for the common good on Election Day. To date, the Nuns on the Bus: Who We Elect Matters campaign has hosted 31 events in critical battleground states, including Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, and Wisconsin.

Approximately 23% of the votes cast in the 2016 presidential election were by Catholics, and the Catholic vote will play an even greater role in the 2020 presidential election. According to a recent study, 44 percent of respondents said Biden is more kind than Trump, which is the leading cause of defections among Catholics who supported Trump in 2016. The Who We Elect Matters campaign will seek to broaden the tent with a new generation of Catholic voters by calling attention to equally sacred priorities.

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About NETWORK Lobby
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic Sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a nearly 50-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org