Controversial Religious Group Reportedly Scrubs Amy Coney Barrett Mentions From Website

The group, called the People of Praise, has been described by critics as a “secretive religious cult.”

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court meets with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) (not seen) at the U.S. Capitol on October 1, 2020 in Washington, DC. | Getty Images
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court meets with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) (not seen) at the U.S. Capitol on October 1, 2020 in Washington, DC. | Getty Images

A controversial religious group tied to Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, has been wiping pictures and mentions of her and her family from its website ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing, the Associated Press reported.

Barrett, a federal appeals judge and President Trump’s nominee to replace late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, has reportedly been involved in the close-knit extreme religious group called People of Praise, though she previously declined to publicly discuss her ties.

According to a 2017 report by the New York Times, members of the group swear a lifetime oath called a “covenant” and are paired with an adviser called a “head” for men and a “handmaid” for women, though the latter moniker was changed after Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel “The Handmaid's Tale” further popularized by the TV series took off.) Critics have described the group as a “secretive religious cult.”

The Associated Press reportedly used the Internet Archive and its Wayback Machine to find that the People of Praise has been erasing images and mentions of Barrett from its website as early as 2017 when she was on Trump’s shortlist at the time of Supreme Court justice nominees. In 2018, after justice Anthony Kennedy retired, Trump ultimately nominated Brett Kavanaugh, who was later confirmed to the court.

Since Barrett last week was recognized as a prominent SCOTUS nominee contender, more mentions of her disappeared from the site, the AP reported. Her husband Jesse Barrett’s mother’s name was also removed as primary contact for the group’s South Bend, Indiana branch after the AP reached out. (NowThis was also able to confirm the contact removal using Internet Archive.)

People of Praise spokesman Sean Connolly confirmed to the Associated Press that the organization has scrubbed information about Barrett from the site, claiming it was to protect members’ privacy.

“Recent changes to our website were made in consultation with members and nonmembers from around the country who raised concerns about their and their families’ privacy due to heightened media attention,” Connolly said.

Barrett didn’t mention People of Praise in her 2017 or 2020 Senate Judiciary Questionnaire. But she has made her anti-choice and anti-marriage equality views apparent over the years.

During Barrett’s time in the federal appeals court, she’s considered two abortion cases and ruled against abortion rights in both. She also co-signed a letter admonishing same-sex marriage in 2015, which conservative think tank the Ethics and Public Policy Center distributed.

Barrett’s senate confirmation hearings are expected to start on October 12.