Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s pick to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, has been testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in his confirmation hearings. Republican members appear eager to confirm Kavanaugh, but Democrats are fighting the confirmation—and rightly so.
Only hours before Kavanaugh’s hearings began, a Bush lawyer released 42,000 documents to the Judiciary Committee, leaving no time for senators to completely read through the documents. The White House mysteriously withheld 100,000 documents relating to Kavanaugh’s time in the Bush administration’s White House. Democrats argued the hearings should be adjourned until the documents were all released and read, but Republicans vehemently refused to hold a vote to adjourn.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in our country. It guides American politics and interprets the constitutionality of our laws. To haphazardly and ignorantly shove Kavanaugh into a term for life is not only ludicrous, but incredibly reckless and has dangerous implications for the future of our nation.
Kavanaugh himself has certain views that could also prove threatening. In a 2003 email, Kavanaugh wrote he didn’t believe Roe v. Wade was the settled law of the land. In his Senate hearing, Kavanaugh also referred to birth control as "abortion-inducing drugs." He is clearly strongly opposed to abortion and women’s health products. His confirmation to the Supreme Court would set back hard-fought women’s rights and reverse decades of progress.
Kavanaugh also believes a sitting president should not be able to be indicted. As Senator Cory Booker noted in the hearings, Kavanaugh wasn’t on Trump’s list of potential SCOTUS nominees until after the Mueller probe began. Likely, Trump is hoping to use Kavanaugh as a form of insurance should anything arise from the Mueller investigation.
It is of utmost importance to call your senators and urge them to vote against Kavanaugh’s appointment. The confirmation is one of the most important votes that will occur during the Trump administration and will have a profound effect on the lives of Americans for decades to come. We’ve fought too hard to let progress be smothered by an impetuous and conniving attempt to secure a Supreme Court seat.
Hunter Graffice is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think of Kavanaugh's hearing? Let Hunter know by dropping a tweet @HunterGraffice4.
