纽约时报 52:48 巴雷特宣誓就任最高法院大法官(1)

Barrett sworn into Supreme¹ Court after 52:48 vote

52:48 巴雷特宣誓就任最高法院大法官

By Nicholas Fandos

文/尼古拉斯·范多斯

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative appeals court judge and protegee of former Justice Antonin Scalia, was confirmed on Monday to the Supreme Court,

周一，保守派上诉法院法官、前大法官安东宁·斯卡利亚的门生艾米·科尼·巴雷特获得了进入最高法院的确认，

capping a lightning-fast Senate approval that handed President Trump² a victory ahead of the election and promised to tip the court to the right for years to come.

参议院势如闪电的核准程序就此画上句号，由此一来，大选尚未开局，特朗普便已胜出一筹，不仅如此，未来数年，最高法院都将向右倾斜。

Inside a Capitol mostly emptied by the resurgent coronavirus pandemic and an election eight days away,

新冠疫情死灰复燃，加之距离大选开局已经只剩八天时间，目前的国会大厦几乎已经空无一人，

Republicans overcame unanimous Democratic opposition³ to make Judge Barrett the 115th justice of the Supreme Court and the fifth woman.

尽管遭到了民主党人的一致反对，共和党人依然顶住压力，坚持任命巴雷特法官为最高法院第115位大法官，兼第5位女性大法官。

The vote was 52 to 48, with all but one Republican, Susan Collins of Maine, who is battling for re-election, supporting her.

投票结果是52:48，除了正在争取连任的缅因州共和党人苏珊·柯林斯，巴雷特得到了其余所有共和党参议员的支持。

It was the first time in 151 years that a justice was confirmed without the support of a single member of the minority party,

151年来，参议院首次在没有一位少数党成员支持的情况下确认了大法官任命，

a sign of how bitter Washington's war over judicial⁴ nominations⁵ has become.

由此可见，华盛顿围绕法官提名的战争已经变得何等激烈。

The vote concluded a brazen⁶ drive by Republicans to fill the vacancy⁷ created by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg just six weeks before the election.

大法官露丝·巴德·金斯伯格在距离大选仅剩六周之际离开了人世。为填补空缺，共和党人展开了一轮厚颜无耻的操作，参议院投票结束才算告一段落。

They shredded⁸ their own past pronouncements and bypassed rules in the process,

在投票过程中，他们不仅颠覆过去发出的声明，还逃避投票规则，

even as they stared down the potential loss of the White House and the Senate.

甚至是在他们眼看着白宫和参议院可能面临损失的时候也是如此。

Democrats⁹ insisted Republican should have waited for voters to have their say on Election Day.

民主党人坚持认为，共和党人应该等选举日听听选民们的意见。

They warned of a disastrous¹⁰ precedent¹¹ that would draw retaliation¹² should they win power,

他们警告称，如果他们选举获胜，共和党将面临前所未有的灾难性还击，

and, in a last-ditch act of protest, tried unsuccessfully to force the Senate to adjourn¹³ before the confirmation¹⁴ vote.

尽管他们做出了最后的抗议努力，试图迫使参议院在确认投票之前休会，但并未成功。

Republicans said it was their right as the majority party and exulted¹⁵ in their win.

共和党人则为他们的胜利感到十分欢欣鼓舞，声称上述操作也是他们身为多数党的权利。

In replacing Justice Ginsburg, a liberal icon¹⁶,

取代了自由派偶像金斯伯格大法官，

the court is gaining a conservative who could sway cases in every area of American life,

最高法院迎来了一位足以左右美国各个领域的案件的保守派，

including abortion¹⁷ rights, gay rights, business regulation and the environment.

如堕胎权、同性恋权利、商业监管，环境等领域的案件。

"The reason this outcome came about is because we had a series of successful elections,"

“之所以会出现这样的结果，是因为我们已经开展了一系列成功的选举，”

said Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, who was the architect of the strategy.

该战略的策划者，肯塔基州共和党参议员、多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔表示。

"What this administration and this Republican Senate has done is exercise the power that was given to us by the American people in a manner that is entirely¹⁸ within the rules of the Senate and the Constitution of the United States."

“本届政府及参议院共和党此番之举也是在行使美国人民赋予我们的权力，是完全符合参议院规定及美国宪法的。”

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

5 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

6 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

7 vacancy   

n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺

参考例句：

• Her going on maternity leave will create a temporary vacancy.她休产假时将会有一个临时空缺。
• The vacancy of her expression made me doubt if she was listening.她茫然的神情让我怀疑她是否在听。

8 shredded   

shred的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Serve the fish on a bed of shredded lettuce. 先铺一层碎生菜叶，再把鱼放上，就可以上桌了。
• I think Mapo beancurd and shredded meat in chilli sauce are quite special. 我觉得麻婆豆腐和鱼香肉丝味道不错。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

11 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

12 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 adjourn   

v.（使）休会，（使）休庭

参考例句：

• The motion to adjourn was carried.休会的提议通过了。
• I am afraid the court may not adjourn until three or even later.我担心法庭要到3点或更晚时才会休庭。

14 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

15 exulted   

狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The people exulted at the victory. 人们因胜利而欢腾。
• The people all over the country exulted in the success in launching a new satellite. 全国人民为成功地发射了一颗新的人造卫星而欢欣鼓舞。

16 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

17 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

18 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。