Supreme Court Drama

SUPREME COURT DRAMA: A RECAP OF THE BRETT KAVANAUGH SUPREME COURT NOMINATION HEARING

On July 9, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill a vacant seat on the United States Supreme Court. Nearly three months to the date of his nomination, the United States senate confirmed Kavanaugh’s nomination by the slimmest of margins, 50-48.

After several weeks of questions concerning his legal philosophy and a meticulous review of his judicial record, the senate appeared to be ready to vote on the nomination of Kavanaugh.

That is, until Christine Blasey Ford stepped forward with accusations that made the allegations against Clarence Thomas in 1991 seem pale by comparison.

We had no idea when we wrote a short blog article on Supreme Court Fast Facts on July 16, 2018 that the road ahead would be so bumpy for Justice Kavanaugh.  It has been a heck of a ride for him and those who followed.  Below is a recap of his nomination, the hearings to follow, the accusations, the aftermath and what the future holds.

THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST KAVANAUGH

The senate swore in Christine Blasey Ford on Thursday September 27. In testimony that left the jam packed room eerily silent for most of the morning, Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she was “100 percent” sure Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her when they both attended the same high school. The tone of her testimony varied between calm measure and unbridled emotion. Her voice noticeably cracked when she went into details of the assault, which Ford claimed occurred at a suburban Washington D.C. home. Ford stated under oath that Kavanaugh pushed her into a bedroom and attempted to remove her clothing. Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy asked Ford to describe the strongest lingering memory of the incident. “Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter,” Ford replied. “The uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.”

THE AFTERMATH

Kavanaugh provided his sworn testimony immediately following the bombshell testimony shared by Christine Blasey Ford. Under obvious duress, Kavanaugh lashed out at the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He emphatically stated the hearings were a disgrace to the country and at times, his voice rose in inflection to make his points. At the end of his sworn testimony, Kavanaugh was asked by a committee member if Ford’s allegations were true.