Brett Kavanaugh

Durbin Still Sees ‘Fire’ In Kavanaugh’s Eyes

October 5, 2018 at 8:54 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) told CBS News that he will never forget the “fire” in Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s eyes during last week’s dramatic hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Said Durbin: “I understand his emotion and his anger. This has to be a terrible ordeal for him and his family and I understand that part. But the fire in his eyes when he turned into this partisan screed is something I’m not going to forget. I cannot imagine a Supreme Court justice who would be so partisan, make such wild claims, and then ask to be put on a bench and trusted his temperament.”

Quote of the Day

October 5, 2018 at 8:18 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“I’m glad he picked him. I swear to God, there was a time I thought he would pick Judge Judy.”

— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), quoted by the Washington Post, praising President Trump’s pick of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court.

McConnell Doesn’t Have the Votes for Kavanaugh Yet

October 5, 2018 at 8:11 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

CNN: “Republicans do not have the votes as of dawn Friday morning, according to people with direct knowledge.”

“McConnell is heading into the day that could clinch one of, if not the, cornerstone achievements of his career — tilting the court’s makeup firmly to the conservative side — and he doesn’t currently have the votes. He and his top deputies are optimistic, no question. But it’s not there yet.”

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) agreed, according to Reuters: “As of now I don’t really know and I don’t know if anybody else does.”

Kavanaugh Walks Back ‘Emotional’ Testimony

October 4, 2018 at 8:54 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Brett Kavanaugh walks back his testimony in last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed:

I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been. I might have been too emotional at times. I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said. I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, husband and dad. I testified with five people foremost in my mind: my mom, my dad, my wife, and most of all my daughters.

Going forward, you can count on me to be the same kind of judge and person I have been for my entire 28-year legal career: hardworking, even-keeled, open-minded, independent and dedicated to the Constitution and the public good. As a judge, I have always treated colleagues and litigants with the utmost respect. I have been known for my courtesy on and off the bench. I have not changed. I will continue to be the same kind of judge I have been for the last 12 years. And I will continue to contribute to our country as a coach, volunteer, and teacher. Every day I will try to be the best husband, dad, and friend I can be. I will remain optimistic, on the sunrise side of the mountain. I will continue to see the day that is coming, not the day that is gone.

Daines Says He Won’t Be Available for Saturday Vote

October 4, 2018 at 7:19 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) “says he’s going to attend his daughter’s wedding back home in Montana on Saturday regardless of a possible weekend Senate vote on embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh,” the Billings Gazette reports.

KTVQ: “Republicans could potentially be in a bind to confirm Kavanaugh if Daines is a no-show. With a 51-49 majority, the GOP can only afford to lose one vote, assuming all Democrats vote no. Vice President Mike Pence would cast the deciding vote in the case of a tie.”

GOP Hopes Kavanaugh Fight Can Rescue Midterms

October 4, 2018 at 7:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump and his conservative allies now see their effort to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh as central to salvaging the Republican Party’s fortunes in the midterm elections, and hope to use the fervent liberal opposition to his nomination to the Supreme Court as a graphic example of the threat posed by a Democratic return to power in Congress,” the New York Times reports.

“The increasingly aggressive attacks on Judge Kavanaugh’s main accuser and the dark warnings about Democrats from his supporters are part of an effort to harness Republicans’ outrage over what they see as a Democratic scheme to steal a pivotal Supreme Court seat.”

“But even as Senate Republican leaders are increasingly confident that Judge Kavanaugh will be confirmed, other party leaders fear his confirmation could dissipate some of the anger and sap the party of a powerful source of energy.”

Inside Brett Kavanaugh’s Circle of Influence

October 4, 2018 at 4:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “The story of President Trump’s embattled choice for the Supreme Court is a classic Washington tale of a young man who grew up surrounded by people in high places, keenly aware of protecting his image. He told a girlfriend in college that he didn’t plan to buy stocks as an adult because he had to avoid conflicts if he wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps as a judge.”

“Kavanaugh’s story is also one of the power and insularity of wealth. He grew up in an idyll of country clubs and beach retreats, private schools and public prominence. The only child of a lobbyist and a judge, he had parents who pushed him hard, teachers who assured him that he faced no limits, and friends whose families knew the art of making problems go away quietly.”

Heitkamp Will Vote Against Kavanaugh

October 4, 2018 at 2:22 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) told WDAY that she will vote against Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

From her statement: “I voted for Justice Gorsuch because I felt his legal ability and temperament qualified him to serve on the Supreme Court. Judge Kavanaugh is different. When considering a lifetime appointment to Supreme Court, we must evaluate the totality of the circumstances and record before us. In addition to the concerns about his past conduct, last Thursday’s hearing called into question Judge Kavanaugh’s current temperament, honesty, and impartiality. These are critical traits for any nominee to serve on the highest court in our country.”

Republicans Will Ignore Kavanaugh’s Lies

October 4, 2018 at 9:36 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jonathan Chait: “The FBI investigation into Brett Kavanaugh has turned out to be a fig leaf. Multiple reports tell the same story: The White House has controlled the probe, ignoring the attempts by multiple witnesses to reach investigators and wrapping up its work well before its already-tight deadline.”

“In the meantime, however, significant new evidence has appeared from the news media. It demonstrates beyond a doubt that Kavanaugh’s emotional testimony was a farrago of evasions and outright lies.”

Senate Will Move Ahead on Kavanaugh Nomination

October 3, 2018 at 10:03 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The U.S. Senate will move ahead on Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination with a procedural vote expected Friday, the Washington Post reports.

“McConnell’s move came as five senators — three Republicans and two Democrats — have not said how they would vote following an FBI investigation into misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. A simple Senate majority to end debate would clear the way for the Senate to confirm Kavanaugh as the next justice this weekend.”

The Hill: “If Kavanaugh overcomes the procedural hurdle, the Senate could then take a final vote on his nomination as early as Saturday.”

Republicans Shift To Attacks on Kavanaugh Accuser

October 3, 2018 at 9:07 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “The president’s scathing and derisive impression of Dr. Blasey, who has accused Judge Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers, came at the same time his Republican allies stepped up their efforts to challenge her veracity. Seizing on a sworn statement from a former boyfriend, Republicans suggested that she had not been fully truthful in her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.”

“The gloves-off approach could further complicate Mr. Trump’s efforts to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court by winning over three undecided Republican senators who have insisted that Dr. Blasey’s allegation be taken seriously, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. All three condemned the president’s rally riff on Wednesday, using phrases like ‘wholly inappropriate,’ ‘kind of appalling’ and ‘just plain wrong.'”

The Hill: Trump’s shot at Christine Blasey Ford seems to backfire.

Trump Bets Midterms on Kavanaugh

October 3, 2018 at 2:54 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump “is gambling that unflinching support for his imperiled Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, will drive Republican voters to the polls in November and save his party’s control of Congress,” Bloomberg reports.

“The president and his political advisers are so convinced that Kavanaugh represents an untapped cultural undercurrent that in Mississippi on Tuesday Trump finally dropped any pretense of sympathy for women who have accused the nominee of sexual misconduct. As a crowd at a political rally chanted ‘we want Kavanaugh,’ Trump lit into the judge’s accusers, picking at inconsistencies and gaps in their allegations.”

Opposition to Kavanaugh Grows

October 3, 2018 at 1:43 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 41% of Americans opposed to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, while 33% support him and 26% said they did not know.

“Opposition to Kavanaugh grew 4 percentage points after the Sept. 27 Judiciary Committee hearing… Opposition grew every day after the hearing in the poll, conducted between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1.”

“The increase in opposition to Kavanaugh, facing a confirmation vote in the Senate after being nominated by Trump for a lifetime position on the court, appears to be driven by those who previously did not have an opinion.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

October 3, 2018 at 1:17 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“I am taking everything into account. I think the president’s comments yesterday mocking Dr. Ford were wholly inappropriate and in my view unacceptable.”

— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), quoted by The Hill, when asked how President Trump’s mockery of Christine Blasey Ford would impact her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

Graham Says Midterms Are Now All About Kavanaugh

October 3, 2018 at 1:09 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) explained his support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, saying the Republican Party has never been more unified than it is now because of Democrats’ actions, Axios reports.

Said Graham: “Whether you’re a Trump Republican, a Bush Republican, a McCain Republican, a libertarian or a vegetarian — you’re pissed. I’ve never seen the Republican Party so unified as I do right now. The defining issue in 2018 has changed. It’s about this.”

FBI Has Not Contacted Dozens In Kavanaugh Probe

October 3, 2018 at 10:56 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“More than 40 people with potential information into the sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have not been contacted by the FBI,” NBC News reports.

“The bureau is expected to wrap up its expanded background investigation as early as Wednesday into two allegations against Kavanaugh — one from Christine Blasey Ford and the other from Deborah Ramirez.”

FBI Expands Interviews In Kavanaugh Probe

October 2, 2018 at 10:54 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “On Tuesday, the FBI moved beyond those initial four people, interviewing Tim Gaudette, a Georgetown Preparatory School classmate of Kavanaugh. Gaudette’s attorney, Kenneth Eichner, said an FBI interview took place but declined to comment further. Gaudette’s home was the site of a July 1, 1982, party that Kavanaugh references on his calendar and has become the focus of lawmakers’ concerns.”

“FBI agents have also interviewed Mark Judge, a key Kavanaugh high school friend who has denied any knowledge of a teenage gathering like the one described by Kavanaugh’s first accuser.”

”Another friend from Kavanaugh’s high school days, Chris Garrett, has also completed an FBI interview.”

Josh Marshall makes a pretty good case that Garrett is a key person in this story.

Kavanaugh Letter Admits He and His Friends Were Drunks

October 2, 2018 at 7:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “The beachfront property was rented, the guests were invited and an ever-organized Brett Kavanaugh had some advice for the seven Georgetown Preparatory School classmates who would be joining him for the weeklong escapade.”

“In a 1983 letter, a copy of which was reviewed by The New York Times, the young Judge Kavanaugh warned his friends of the danger of eviction from an Ocean City, Md., condo. In a neatly written postscript, he added: Whoever arrived first at the condo should ‘warn the neighbors that we’re loud, obnoxious drunks with prolific pukers among us. Advise them to go about 30 miles…'”