Environmentalists, Democrats fault Trump court pick Barrett on climate evasion

FILE PHOTO: Judge Amy Coney Barrett speaks during the third day of her Senate confirmation hearing to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., October 14, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Environmental groups and Democrats on Thursday criticized President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett for dodging questions during her Senate confirmation hearing about climate change, while Republicans rallied to her defense.

Barrett, a conservative federal appeals court judge, declined during questioning by members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to give her views on climate change and whether human activities were contributing to it.