Senate OKs judicial nominee in middle of religious fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed a judicial nominee caught in the middle of a partisan fight over whether religious faith influences legal opinions.

The vote was 55-43 Tuesday for Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.

Democrats had questioned Barrett during her confirmation hearings about how her Roman Catholic faith would affect her decisions.

Most notably, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told Barrett that dogma and the law are two different things and she was concerned "that the dogma lives loudly within you."

Republicans criticized the questioning as a religious test that is unconstitutional. Religious groups complained about anti-Catholic bigotry.

Feinstein denied she was applying a religious test, but was making inquiries to ensure Barrett's impartiality.