JOSH RANNEY
News Editor
National headlines for the past two weeks or so have been abuzz with one story: the hearings on Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.
Brett Kavanaugh, Judge of the Appeals Court of Washington D.C., was nominated to the Supreme Court this past July by President Donald Trump. This coming as a result of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement from the Court.
Kavanaugh is Trump’s second nomination to the Supreme Court in sixteen months. Justice Neil Gorsuch was nominated by Trump in January of 2017 and confirmed in April of the same year.
Kavanaugh’s potential confirmation would ensure a conservative tilt on the Supreme Court, potentially, for a generation.
Having such a conservative majority on the highest court in the land puts hot-button issues, like abortion, back on the table. Republicans have threatened, and Democrats have feared the possible repeal of the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which determined that regulation of abortion rights is unconstitutional.
Professor Raymond Rushboldt, of Fredonia’s politics and international affairs department, confirms that Republican interests in the Supreme Court are headlined by abortion rights.
“On many issues, the Republican party base is very concerned that the court deals with abortion, of course, but also government regulations, for example,” said Rushboldt.
At the time of his nomination in July, Kavanaugh’s confirmation was seen as a layup, given the Republican majority in the Senate.
In the months since, however, accusations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh have come out.
Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. The incident, according to her testimony occured in the early 1980’s when Kavanaugh and Ford were both in high school in the Washington D.C. area.
Kavanaugh has since denied all allegations of sexual assault, as he did during his own testimony to the Judiciary Committee as well.
“I’m not questioning that Dr. Ford may have been sexually assaulted by some person in some place at some time,” said Kavanaugh. “But I have never done this to her or anyone. That’s not who I am, it is not who I was. I am innocent of this charge.”
Perhaps surprisingly, allegations of sexual assault being levied at Supreme Court nominees have happened before.
In 1991, Justice Clarence Thomas was accused of sexual assault by Anita Hill. After an FBI investigation, the allegations were determined “unfounded.”
This situation regarding Kavanaugh is different, though.
“While Clarence Thomas was accused of sexual harassment, this particular accusation is criminal,” said Rushboldt.
The allegations against Kavanaugh have ignited the fires of polarization in America once again. In the age of #MeToo, advocates of social movements have pushed issues of race, gender and sexual assault to the front of the line.
Social media and protesters have chanted their message to believe the survivors of sexual assault. While others have been cautiously acknowledging the rights of the accused.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) exploded in anger during Kavanaugh’s questioning.
“This is the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics,” said Graham. “And if you really wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldn’t do what you’ve done to this guy.”
Republicans like Graham have accused Democrats of launching attempts of ruining Kavanaugh’s “good name” and reputation. At the same time, Democrats have accused Republicans of rushing this confirmation through for the sake of advancing the conservative agenda.
“Republicans want him on the court to have a lasting legacy while the Democrats obviously want to prevent it,” said Rushboldt.
“Politically, it certainly may ‘fire up the bases’ for the midterms,” said Rushboldt, “But whether it will change the overall outcomes remains to be seen.”