CONSERVATIVE: Questioning continues for Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the empty seat on the Supreme Court.
By Isabel Morehead, Staff Editor
On September 4th, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its questioning of judge Brett Kavanaugh of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This marked the beginning of a long process to confirm Kavanaugh for the empty seat on the Supreme Court. During the confirmation hearing, multiple women came forward detailing accounts of how Kavanaugh sexually assaulted them or people they knew. In response to these allegations, the Judiciary Committee postponed Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing until September 27th to allow Kavanaugh and his accusers to respond. On September 27th, Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman to accuse Kavanaugh, appeared for questioning by the Judiciary Committee in order to determine the validity of Ford’s claims. Despite multiple accounts of sexual assault described by four women, the Committee voted 11-10 to send Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor. Now, the country waits anxiously to see whether Kavanaugh will receive the seat.
In the span of a few weeks, three women came forward stating that they had been sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh. Ford claimed that she was assaulted by Kavanaugh and his friend in high school when she was 15. Deborah Ramirez, a classmate of Kavanaugh’s from college, then alleged that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her without her consent. Julie Swetnick, the last of Kavanaugh’s accusers, stated that he attended a series of house parties in the 1980s where he displayed “abusive and physically aggressive behavior toward girls” and witnessed or took part in the drugging and rape of girls at the parties. Ford came forward with her accusations at the time of his confirmation, forcing it to be delayed in order for the FBI to investigate Ford’s allegations. Despite Democratic senators’ and protesters’ request for a postponement of a vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination until a more in-depth investigation is conducted, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is determined to push through with the vote to make Kavanaugh a justice.
Since the announcement of Kavanaugh’s nomination and the breaking of the allegations against the judge, protesters organized to show their strong opposition to the nomination. Women from around the country, including sexual assault survivors, united to show their support for the accusers of Kavanaugh and their resistance to the nomination. Protesters gathered on Capitol Hill to protest Kavanaugh, and other protests are planned throughout the country. The organizer of the main protest at Capitol Hill, Party Majority PAC, explained the importance of protesting. “We anticipate a vote on the Senate floor to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as early as Friday,” “It is critical we make our voices heard on the ground in Washington on Thursday.” Julie Swetnick, one of Kavanaugh’s accusers, expressed her concern for Kavanaugh’s nomination: “He’s going to have that seat for rest of his life,” she said. “If he’s going to have that seat legitimately, all these things should be investigated, because from what I experienced first-hand I don’t think he belongs on the Supreme Court.”
Since voting Kavanaugh’s nomination to the floor, many people -supporters and protesters of Kavanaugh alike- wonder what happens now. After the confirmation hearing where the Senate Judiciary Committee heard statements from both Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh, the FBI began an investigation into the validity of Ford’s claims. Once this investigation is complete, the Senate will debate on Kavanaugh’s nomination, and then put the issue to a vote. Amid the sexual assault allegations, Democratic leadership is more inclined to postpone the nomination, but Republican Senators are undeterred, determined to get Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court.