Tag: SCOTUS

Want to Know More About: Brett Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court?

John Dickerson: “The Senate Voted For Kavanaugh 50-48. The Closest Margin For Any High Court Nominee In 137 Years.” JOHN DICKERSON: “Newly confirmed Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh will go to the White House later today for a swearing in ceremony with president Trump. The senate voted for Kavanaugh 50-48. The closest margin for any high court nominee in 137 years.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 10/8/18; Video]

Major Garrett: “The Kavanaugh Saga Was The Trump Presidency In Miniature, Polarizing, Loud, Traumatic, With Hardball Republican Tactics, Democratic Resistance And In The End A Very Narrow Vote That Produced A Lasting Result.” MAJOR GARRETT: “The Kavanaugh saga was the Trump presidency in miniature, polarizing, loud, traumatic, with hardball republican tactics, democratic resistance and in the end a very narrow vote that produced a lasting result. The saga, this clash polls tell us, has energized Republicans, but defeated Democrats have energy too born by anger and a sense of powerlessness of a war they were unable to stop.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 10/8/18;Video]

Pete Williams: “Kavanaugh’s Influence Will Be Felt In A Few Ways, In Future Years, He’ll Vote On Issues Like Abortion, Affirmative Action, Presidential Power And The Limit Of Money And Politics.” WILLIAMS: “Kennedy in his later years sometimes voted with the liberals in some landmark cases, Canada’s influence will be felt in a few ways, in future years, he’ll vote on issues like abortion, affirmative action, presidential power and the limit of money and politics.” [Today, NBC, 10/8/18; VIDEO] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: Brett Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court?”

DNC on Senate Voting to Adopt Cloture and Advance Kavanaugh Nomination

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement after the Senate voted to invoke cloture and advance Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination:

“Judge Brett Kavanaugh is unfit to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a threat to women’s rights and Americans’ health care. He will fail to be an independent check on the president. He repeatedly misled and deceived the Senate Judiciary Committee, while showing a complete lack of judicial temperament and impartiality. And he faces multiple allegations of sexual assault.

“The White House limited the FBI’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation of Judge Kavanaugh’s past. Multiple news outlets have reported that the FBI was prohibited from speaking to dozens of people who came forward with information about Kavanaugh. The American people deserve a sincere search for the truth. Continue reading “DNC on Senate Voting to Adopt Cloture and Advance Kavanaugh Nomination”

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing and Vote

Gayle King: “More Than Three Months Of Drama And Controversy Over The Future Of The Supreme Court Is Set To End In The Next 36 Hours. The Senate Will Decide This Morning Whether To Send The President’s Nomination Of Brett Kavanaugh To A Final Vote.” GAYLE KING: “More than three months of drama and controversy over the future of the supreme court is set to end in the next 36 hours. The senate will decide this morning whether to send the president’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to a final vote, expect it early tomorrow night. Republicans, as you know, control the senate 51-49. So the GOP can only afford to have one of its senators vote no.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 10/5/18; Video]

Nancy Cordes: “We Should Note Once And For All Today Whether Kavanaugh Has The Support He Needs To Get Confirmed.” NANCY CORDES: “We should note once and for all today whether Kavanaugh has the support he needs to get confirmed. That’s because this small number of undecided senators may vote to end debate today the way they’re going to vote on final confirmation tomorrow. As forces on both sides pile on the pressure all the way to the end.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 10/5/18; Video]

Nancy Cordes: “In A Final Bid Before The Vote Anti Kavanaugh Protesters Spent The Night On Capital Grounds.” NANCY CORDES: “In a final bid before the vote anti Kavanaugh protesters spent the night on capital grounds, egged on by Democrats.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 10/5/18; Video]

Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing and Vote”

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Confirmation

Major Garrett: “President Trump Openly Mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Who Has Accused Brett Kavanaugh Of Sexually Assaulting Her In High School.” GARRETT: “For the first time president trump openly mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school. The president who previously described Ford’s testimony as credible and compelling ridiculed her story’s missing details.” [This Morning, CBS, 10/3/18; VIDEO]

John Berman: “Politically Now What You Are Getting From Republicans Is A Much More Direct Attack.” BERMAN: “When Lindsay graham was shouting he was talking about process, but he has to be talking about professor’s Ford credibility. Now you have the president saying she’s not credible, and you had chuck grassley with the letter questioning the veracity of some of the things professor Ford says. It seems politically now what you are getting from Republicans is a much more direct attack in these waning days before the vote about just what professor Ford is saying in saying she’s not credible.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO]

Josh Campbell: “Why Is A Federal Judge Sitting In Front Of The United States Senate Making Statements That Other People Are Saying Are Not Consistent With The Facts. That Is The Issue.” CAMPBELL: “It’s not about drinking or what somebody has done in their past when it comes to alcohol, but why is a federal judge sitting in front of the United States senate making statements that other people are saying are not consistent with the facts. That is the issue. Why is a judge, somebody who is supposed to be fair, honest and truthful being called into question? That’s something we need to get to the bottom of.” [New Day, CNN, 10/3/18; VIDEO] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Confirmation”

Either Kavanaugh Goes Down or the Republicans Do

Women — and many men — will still remember Thursday’s hearing when they vote in 2018 and 2020

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham points at the Democrats as he defends Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at a Senate Judiciary hearing Thursday. Credit: Tom Williams, CQ Roll Call, Pool

OPINION — Watching Christine Blasey Ford’s harrowing testimony, it seemed clear that either Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination goes down or he will take the entire Republican Party with him.

Women of all political persuasions — and a hell of a lot of men — will be remembering this hearing when they go to the polls in 2018 and 2020. And while it is dangerous to overexaggerate the political influence of a single event in our hyper-partisan times, Thursday’s testimony has the potential to be seismic.

It wasn’t even what Ford said — though her repeated recollections of Kavanaugh laughing during the alleged sexual attack were haunting — so much as her mixture of composure and emotion as she said it. This was a wrenching event in her life and she had no hesitation in testifying that Brett Kavanaugh was one her two sexual assailants.

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing

George Stephanopoulos: “She Came In Fear. He Came In Anger. Now, Senators Must Decide Right There At The U.S. Capitol Who Do They Believe? How Will They Vote? Should Brett Kavanaugh Get A Lifetime Seat On The Supreme Court?” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/28/18; VIDEO]

Terry Moran: “At Times It Felt Less Like A Senate Hearing Room Than Some Kind of Medieval Trial By Ordeal, And Began With The Moment The Country Was Waiting For. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford For The First Time Under Oath Speaking Publicly, Her Voice Trembling.” MORAN: “Washington is still shaken to its core by a wrenching day of testimony. There was so much raw human pain and at times it felt less like a senate hearing room than some kind of medieval trial by ordeal and began with the moment the country was waiting for. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for the first time under oath speaking publicly, her voice trembling.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/28/18; VIDEO]

Mary Bruce: “What’s Clear This Morning Is That Republican Leaders Are Plowing Ahead, After A Late Night Huddle Here On The Hill, Top Republicans Emerged Standing Firmly By Judge Kavanaugh, But What Is Not Clear Is Whether Republicans Have Enough Votes To Get Him Confirmed.” [Good Morning America, ABC, 9/28/18; VIDEO] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing”

New Polls: 50% of Voters Oppose Kavanaugh

New polling released this weekend shows Brett Kavanaugh is historically unpopular and that voters believe Senate Republicans should delay his confirmation until more hearings and a thorough investigation can be completed.

The majority of voters oppose Brett Kavanaugh. He is historically unpopular:

  • 50 percent of voters oppose Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

  • Kavanaugh is underwater by 10 points, which is down 9 points since last month.

Voters believe Dr. Blasey Ford and want Senate Republicans to delay Kavanaugh’s nomination:

  • Nearly 6 in 10 Americans want Senate Republicans to delay a vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination until after more investigations and hearings are done.

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing

Savannah Guthrie: “New Allegations Against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Throwing His Confirmation Process Into Turmoil And Further Uncertainty.” [Today, NBC, 9/24/18; VIDEO]

Peter Alexander: “Just Days Before Brett Kavanaugh Was Set To Defend Himself Against An Allegation That He Assaulted A Classmate In High School, A New Allegation From His College Years.” [Today, NBC, 9/24/18; VIDEO]

Gayle King: “We Have A Second Allegation Of Sexual Misconduct Conduct Against Judge Kavanaugh This Morning.” KING: “We have a second allegation of sexual Mississippi conduct against judge Kavanaugh this morning. It raises new questions over his Supreme Court nomination. One of his Yale classmates tells ‘The New Yorker’ magazine that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party about 35 years ago.” [This Morning, CBS, 9/24/18; VIDEO] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Hearing”

Grassley: No reason to delay Kavanaugh hearing

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is pressing forward with a hearing scheduled for Monday after a woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct called for the FBI to investigate her claims before she testifies.

Grassley on Tuesday evening said there was “no reason” to delay the hearing. Republicans have invited both Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, his accuser, to testify publicly.

“Dr. Ford’s testimony would reflect her personal knowledge and memory of events. Nothing the FBI or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what Dr. Ford tells the committee, so there is no reason for any further delay,” Grassley said.

View the complete September 18 article by Jordain Carney on the Hill website here.

Echoes of Anita Hill, but in a Different Era for Women

Anita Hill arriving in 1991 in Washington to testify against Clarence Thomas. Credit: Doug Mills, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — She went public just days before a critical vote and took a polygraph test to bolster her credibility. He unequivocally denied her years-old charges of sexual misconduct. Calls mounted to delay the vote and investigate. It was late September, and a Supreme Court seat hung in the balance.

For those of a certain age in Washington, the past few days have felt like an eerie echo of the confirmation battle that consumed the capital in 1991 when Anita F. Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her. Now it is Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh who faces a hearing on Monday to address explosive accusations by Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers.

While not a perfect parallel, the case has quickly polarized Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation process, once again drawing in all three branches of government for a showdown over sex, truth and politics. Justice Thomas ultimately prevailed, and has been on the Supreme Court for more than a quarter of a century. But this time the battle takes place in a different era, at a moment when the #MeToo movement has brought down many powerful men over accusations of sexual misconduct that were once swept under the rug.

View the complete September 17 article by Peter Baker and Carl Hulse on the Washington Post website here.