This morning, the 102nd Supreme Court Associate Justice, Brett Kavanaugh, took his seat on the Supreme Court. (The Court’s official biography and photographic record of the swearing-in ceremony are available here.) After the Chief Justice, John Roberts, wished Kavanaugh a “long and happy career in our common calling,” the Court got down to business with a couple of […]
Special Edition: Take Your Seat, Justice Kavanaugh
On Saturday afternoon, October 6, 2018, the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Kavanaugh will take his seat when the Court opens for business on Tuesday, October 8th. The final vote was 50-48. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine voted in favor […]
She Said Yes
She said yes. Senator Susan Collins, the moderate Republican whose vote was considered crucial to secure the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, said this afternoon that she would vote to confirm Kavanaugh when his candidacy comes before the full Senate this weekend. Senator Joe Manchin, the Democrat from West Virginia, announced very soon afterward that […]
‘A Very Thorough Investigation’
Now that the FBI has concluded its supplemental background investigation into allegations by several women that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh assaulted them after drinking heavily, senators are beginning to position themselves for the inevitable cloture vote tomorrow and a final vote of the full Senate this weekend. All day today and into tonight, the senators on the […]
A Public Investigation by the FBI
More of the same acrimony, charges and counter-charges continue to fly around the Brett Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court as the FBI is quietly conducting its supplemental background investigation into allegations by several women that Kavanaugh assaulted them after drinking heavily. All the women’s lawyers, who are active in promoting the #metoo movement, are critical of […]
‘Just the Facts, Ma’am’
Late today, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that the FBI has concluded its supplemental background investigation into allegations by several women that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh assaulted them after drinking heavily. McConnell filed cloture on the nomination today, meaning that the cloture vote could come on Friday. If the Senate approves cloture […]
A Historic Game of Chicken
On Friday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to refer Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court to the full Senate along party lines, after Senate Republicans agreed to a one-week postponement of the Senate vote on the nomination to allow the FBI to conduct an investigation into the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford […]
“Hello, this is the FBI. Leave a Message and We’ll Get Back to You in One Week.”
Events around the Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court are happening so fast, it’s hard to keep up with them. Shortly after yesterday’s Kavanaugh Column was posted, Senate Republicans agreed to a one-week postponement of the Senate vote on the nomination. President Trump followed shortly thereafter with an announcement that he is directing the FBI to conduct […]
“Hello, Is this the FBI?… Hello? Hello?”
This afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to refer Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court to the full Senate. As expected, the vote was 11-10 along party lines, with all Senate Republicans backing Kavanaugh and all Democrats voting against him. All eyes are now on an expected vote by the full Senate this Tuesday, […]
In the Arena
More than one participant (including Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh) described today’s hearing as a “circus.” With respect to the contestants, that is too light a term, since there was nothing amusing about it. Today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing could be best described as a “gladiatorial pit.” Nothing new was said by either Dr. Christine Blasey […]
The Battle Lines are Drawn
Whoever said “politics is blood sport” (attributed to 20th Century Welsh politician Aneurin Bevan) wasn’t kidding. Thursday’s fifth, and presumably final, day for the hearing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court is set to go, with, it seems, half the country ready to “believe the woman” and half the country believing that Judge […]
The Judge’s Prosecutor
Thursday’s special session of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate Judiciary Committee is beginning to shape up. Judge Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, will both appear before the committee, with Ford testifying first. According to a statement by the committee today, the members of the committee will not ask […]
“I’m Not Going Anywhere”
According to the New Yorker magazine, a second woman, Deborah Ramirez, now claims that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Ramirez told the New Yorker that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a drinking party when they were both Yale freshmen. Ramirez has not made a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and she admits that her […]
“Time, Gentlemen….”
There will be time, there will be time To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet; There will be time to murder and create, And time for all the works and days of hands That lift and drop a question on your plate…. T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (1920) The time […]
… And Waiting …
Friday at 10:00 a.m. is the deadline set by the Senate Judiciary Committee for a commitment and written proffer of testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who alleges that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party over thirty-five years ago. Dr. Ford’s attorney said Thursday it was “not possible” for […]
Waiting and Watching…
All eyes are on the Senate Judiciary Committee today, as Chairman Charles Grassley announced today that the committee will need to hear from Dr. Ford with written testimony by Friday, in order to proceed with the Monday hearing. Grassley has invited Dr. Ford to testify in public or in a private closed-door hearing. To date, Ford […]
The Judge Awaits the Witness
The Kavanaugh Column reported yesterday that Christine Blasey Ford, the Palo Alto, California psychology professor who accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of assaulting her at a high school party when they were teenagers, had said through her attorney that Ford was prepared to testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Committee Chairman Charles Grassley has set […]
Déjà Vu All Over Again
Surely Yogi Berra wasn’t thinking of the explosive mix of sex and politics that boils up in the headlines on a too-regular basis when he coined this famous quip, but for many who’ve followed the high-stakes political games that are played around Supreme Court nominations, it’s 1991 all over again. Last Friday, the Kavanaugh Column reported on […]
The Purloined Letter
As the date of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s expected Senate Judiciary Committee vote next Thursday approaches, a whiff of whispered scandal now infects his nomination process. The story broke yesterday that Senator Dianne Feinstein of California has referred a letter regarding Kavanaugh from a constituent in California to the FBI. Feinstein has refused to show the […]
Joe Donnelly: A Hoosier in the Dock
Like several other Senate Democrats, Indiana Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly is feeling the heat from the Kavanaugh confirmation vote. Donnelly is in a statistical dead heat against businessman Mike Braun for his Senate seat this November. The Hoosier State is reddest in Fort Wayne, and the News-Sentinel yesterday called on Donnelly to vote to confirm Kavanaugh. The more progressive Indianapolis Star […]
Joe Manchin, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun
Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is in a tough election race this fall. Real Clear Politics polling has him with an uncomfortable lead against his Republican opponent, and Manchin is running hard. President Trump won the Mountaineer State in 2016 with a whopping 68.5%, the largest margin of victory for any presidential candidate in the state’s […]
Lisa Murkowski: Reluctant Maverick
This week, the Kavanaugh Column is taking a closer look at the undecided senators in the middle of the Kavanaugh confirmation fight, two pro-abortion Republicans and three Democrats who are from strongly pro-life states. Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski steps into the spotlight today. “Have Senate Democrats already lost on Kavanaugh?”, asked Vanity Fair yesterday. The magazine cites […]
A Hard Rain Falls on Senator Collins
With the conclusion of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, relative calm has again settled over the Tidal Basin here in Washington. No damaging testimony emerged from the hearing (unless you count self-inflicted damage by senators opposed to Kavanaugh), and committee Democrats scored no “gotcha” moments. The countdown begins to the […]
Not with a Bang, But with a Whimper
Friday wrapped up the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. After over thirty hours on the “hot seat,” far longer than any other Supreme Court nominee in recent memory, Judge Kavanaugh may be breathing a sigh of gratitude that he can return to a somewhat “normal” life while he awaits the formal […]
