The Hearing of Supreme Court Nominee, Brett Kavanaugh

Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, has been the topic of discussion in the media for some time now as a result of the multiple sexual misconduct allegations that have been made against him. Such allegations surfaced after a woman , Christine Blasey Ford, came forward in a letter to congresswoman, Anna Eshoo and Senator, Dianne Feinstein, in July of this year. Ford has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a high school party in 1982, while under the influence. Kavanaugh has adamantly denied such accusations.

Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump on July 8th, 2018. He is a former United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Kavanaugh also worked as a staff lawyer for varying offices of the United States government. Kavanaugh is a firm believer in the Second Amendment, as he was endorsed by the NRA for rejecting bans on commonly-owned firearms. Additionally, in a 2009 Minnesota Law Review article, Kavanaugh stated that the President should be exempt from criminal investigation and prosecution.

Kavanaugh´s first accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, is a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Ford was in high school at the same time as Kavanaugh, claiming that he sexually assaulted her at a high school party in Bethesda, Maryland. On September 16th, the Washington Post published an article explaining Ford´s accusations. Ford claims that she feared for her life during the incident. The Washington Post reported that it reviewed notes from a therapist that Ford and her husband visited in 2012, to cope with the psychological effects of her encounter.

Ford is not the only woman to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, as two former classmates of Kavanaugh, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, also accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting them while attending Yale University. A former classmate of Kavanaugh's, who corroborated Ramirez´s story, described Kavanaugh as “aggressive and belligerent” when drunk. Julie Swetnick signed a sworn declaration, stating that Kavanaugh had the tendency to be abusive and disrespectful toward young women, especially in that state.

Kavanaugh has issued a series of separate statements denying each of the accusations. The Senate Judiciary Committee asked Ford and Kavanaugh to provide testimony on September 24th, 2018. Both parties agreed. While on the stand, Ford was visibly distressed as she gave her testimony. Kavanaugh delivered, what he calls, a passionate testimony, where he shouted through tears that he later apologized for. Kavanaugh´s lack of composure had some people questioning whether or not he is well-suited to serve on the Supreme Court.

President Trump has stated that his support for Kavanaugh is unwavering, declaring that Kavanaugh is a ‘truly outstanding person’ and that the accusations that have been made against him are merely political attacks intended to keep another Republican off of the Supreme Court. Trump said, “Well, I say that it's a very scary time for young men in America, when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of. This is a very, very -- this is a very difficult time.” This statement sparked public outrage, bringing the #MeToo movement back to the forefront of discussion. Trump has focused much of his attention on defending the accused, with little to positive to say regarding the women in our country.

Despite the ongoing controversy and strong opposition from the Democratic party, Brett Kavanaugh was officially sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice, John Roberts, and his retired predecessor, Anthony Kennedy, on October 6th. A group of protestors gathered outside of the Supreme Court, as they have done since the hearing took place. Kavanaugh´s confirmation is undoubtedly a major victory for the Republican Party, with President Trump eagerly addressing a rally at Topeka, Kansas, deeming Kavanaugh´s confirmation as a “historic event.” Backlash from Kavanaugh´s controversial nomination to the Supreme Court will likely come to fruition in November for the midterm elections. Until then, Republicans will maintain their stronghold over both the Senate and the White House.

Sources: Fox News, Politico, and CNN