Tag: Brett Kavanaugh

Want to Know More About: The Supreme Court Nomination Effect on the Midterm Election

Erica Hill: “President Trump And Republicans Taking A Victory Lap, Casting Democrats As An Angry Mob, In Hopes That The Kavanaugh Fight Will Pay Dividends In The Midterm Election, Which Are Now By The Way Only Twenty-Nine Days Away.” ERICA HILL: “Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh beginning his first week on the high court, after that bruising confirmation battle. President Trump and republicans taking a victory lap, casting democrats as an angry mob, in hopes that the Kavanaugh fight will pay dividends in the midterm election, which are now by the way only twenty-nine days away.”   [New Day, CNN, 10/8/18; Video]

Abby Phillip: “Now The Attention Is Shifting To The Campaign Trail Where Democrats And Republicans Are Hoping To Use The Treatment Of Kavanaugh And His Accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, To Galvanize Their Voters.” ABBY PHILLIP: “Republicans are taking a victory lap over the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh but now the attention is shifting to the campaign trail where Democrats and Republicans are hoping to use the treatment of Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, to galvanize their voters.” [New Day, CNN, 10/8/18; Video]

David Gregory: “I Think There Is A Renewed Realization That If You Care About These Issues, If You Care About The Future Of The Court, Among Other Issues, You Need To Get Out And Vote. So I Think The Democrats Have A Lot Of Energy.” DAVID GREGORY: “The recent history I have seen and covered, anger you see among democrats is very strong and a big motivator to get to the polls. I think there is a renewed realization that if you care about these issues, if you care about the future of the Court, among other issues, you need to get out and vote. So I think the democrats have a lot of energy.” [New Day, CNN, 10/8/18; Video]

Abby Phillip: “Democrats Also Hoping That Kavanaugh’s Confirmation Will Drive Frustrated Voters To The Polls.” [New Day, CNN, 10/8/18; Video]

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”

New Poll: Opposition To Kavanaugh Has Grown Every Day Since His Hearing

Opposition to Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation has increased every day since last week’s hearing. Kavanaugh’s approval rating is now underwater, with 41 percent opposed and only 33 percent in support of his confirmation.

Reuters/Ipsos poll: Opposition to Kavanaugh grows after Senate hearing

Opposition among Americans to Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, has increased in the wake of his testimony last week before a U.S. Senate committee in which he defiantly denied sexual misconduct allegations, Reuters/Ipsos polling data showed on Wednesday.

In the latest seven-day average in a survey of U.S. adults, 41 percent of respondents opposed Kavanaugh, 33 percent supported the conservative federal appeals court judge and 26 percent said they did not know.

Opposition to Kavanaugh grew 4 percentage points after the Sept. 27 Judiciary Committee hearing in which university professor Christine Blasey Ford detailed a sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh and he denied it, portraying himself as the victim of a “political hit.”

View the complete October 3 article by Lawrence Hurley and Chris Kahn here.

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”

Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Nomination and Screening

Abby Phillips: “Whether Brett Kavanaugh’s Past Drinking Habits Will Have Any Bearing On That Probe At All, But Republicans Are Saying That That Issue Is Moving The Goalposts.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “After president Trump’s freewheeling press conference yesterday we still this morning have a lot of questions about the scope of this FBI probe and there are questions now also about whether Brett Kavanaugh’s past drinking habits will have any bearing on that probe at all, but Republicans are saying that that issue is moving the goalposts.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]

Abby Phillips: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Saying He Will Move Forward With A Vote On Judge Kavanaugh’s Confirmation, Despite The White House Allowing The FBI To Expand Its Investigation Into The Nominee.” ABBY PHILLIPS: “Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell saying he will move forward with a vote on judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation, despite the White House allowing the FBI to expand its investigation into the nominee. His pledge coming amid backlash over the restricted probe.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video]

Alisyn Camerota: “Mitch McConnell Says A Vote On Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination Will Take Place This Week No Matter What The FBI Finds.” ALISYN CAMEROTA: “Mitch McConnell says a vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination will take place this week no matter what the FBI finds. Senator Jeff flake one of the key Republicans who holds Kavanaugh’s fate in the balance demands a real investigation and not one that just gives his party cover.” [New Day, CNN, 10/2/18; Video] Continue reading “Want to Know More About: The Kavanaugh Nomination and Screening”

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”

udiciary Staffer’s Tweets Fuel Fight Over Kavanaugh Accuser

‘Unfazed and determined. We will confirm Judge Kavanaugh,’ committee’s chief staffer says.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks to the floor for a vote after a meeting in Majority Leader McConnell’s office in the Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Credit: Bill Clark, CQ Roll Call

Amid a pitched partisan battle over how the Senate handles an allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman decades ago as a teenager, liberal groups on Thursday seized on comments from a Judiciary Committee staffer to paint the process as a sham.

Mike Davis, the committee’s chief staffer for nominations, tweeted twice overnight about his key role in the committee’s review of Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation, as well as criticism of Ford’s attorneys and his desired outcome of the process.

“Unfazed and determined. We will confirm Judge Kavanaugh. #ConfirmKavanaugh #SCOTUS,” Davis tweeted at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Five sitting senators voted on Clarence Thomas’s nomination. Four supported it.

Credit: Philip Bump, The Washington Post

In an essay published by the New York Times, Anita Hill included an interesting aside.

Hill, whose allegations that she had been sexually harassed by Clarence Thomas emerged during the process after his nomination to the Supreme Court, was comparing her situation in 1991 to the current moment. Brett M. Kavanaugh, nominated to the bench by President Trump, has been accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford in 1982 while in high school.

“As that same committee, on which sit some of the same members as nearly three decades ago, now moves forward with the Kavanaugh confirmation proceedings,” Hill wrote, “the integrity of the court, the country’s commitment to addressing sexual violence as a matter of public interest, and the lives of the two principal witnesses who will be testifying hang in the balance.”

View the complete September 18 article by Philip Bump on the Washington Post website here.