RNLA Vice President for Communications Harmeet Dhillon wrote today's blog post.
Back in July, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer promised to oppose Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court with “everything I’ve got.” Then in the confirmation hearings earlier this month, Judge Kavanaugh’s competence, intelligence, diligence, and character shone.
At Kavanaugh’s hearing, the Democrats looked foolish. Senator Cory Booker had his self-identified “Spartacus” moment where he claimed to release confidential information when it was not confidential (and proved Kavanaugh agreed with him on civil rights). Senator Kamala Harris teased a smoking gun that somehow Kavanaugh was connected to a law firm that represents President Trump personally, only to come up empty. Senator Schumer used an obscure procedural motion to shut down the Senate for a day, only to have the hearing go ahead and the full Senate confirm eight lower court judges with less debate.
The far left was furious at Schumer’s failure and the belly-flops by Democrat senators on Judiciary. The Schumer-led Senate Democrats turned to trying to score political hits based on unsubstantiated allegations that attempt to viciously destroy a good man’s character, and forever tar him and his family with these defamatory claims.
Senator Mazie Hirono has been the most transparent about what the Democrats are hoping to gain. She revealed that the goal of calling for delay after Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation was made public was for Democrats to take the Senate in 2018 and for the seat on the Supreme Court to remain vacant until after Democrats take the White House in 2020.
Hirono breathtakingly and irresponsibly blames every man in America for conduct alleged against Judge Kavanaugh, and decrees they do not deserve to speak: “I just want to say to the men of this country, just shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change.” Over the weekend, she revealed that she does not believe Judge Kavanaugh because of “everything I know about him in terms of how he approaches his cases.”
Because Judge Kavanaugh believes in taking the text of the Constitution, statutes, and regulations seriously, Hirono—and her progressive allies—claim that whatever he says is false. Conservatives do not deserve the presumption of innocence because they take the Constitution seriously.
It does not matter that the allegations have not been corroborated, that they are inconsistent with everything else known about Judge Kavanaugh, or that Judge Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied that anything of the kind ever occurred.
A devoted father of two girls with a long career of public service, a sitting federal judge who has worked to advance the careers of women lawyers, must be personally destroyed to satisfy the lust of the far left that has never accepted that Donald Trump is President.
What is being lost in the media and social media circus over the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh are his the immense qualifications and character.
Judge Kavanaugh has served on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals for over 12 years. He has written 307 judicial opinions that demonstrate his fidelity to the Constitution, interpreting the text of statutes and regulations as written, independently evaluating the facts of each case with an eye to the impact of the decision on the parties, and applying the law even when it leads to outcomes he would not personally choose. This is why the left-of-center American Bar Association unanimously gave him its highest rating and even liberal lawyers, such as former Obama official Lisa Blatt who introduced him at the hearing, support him.
But what matters to Senate Democrats is fighting and winning against conservatives and Republicans by any means necessary, even if that means baseless character assassination based on uncorroborated rumors. What matters is resisting President Trump. What matters is not Brett Kavanaugh’s wife or daughters, the truth, an honest debate or disagreement, the rule of law, the state of our politics, or the kind of country we are becoming.
What is lost in the meantime is our sense of decency as a people. What will be lost in the future is the willingness of many good people, men and women, to serve our country if it means running the gauntlet of modern Senate confirmation.
As Judge Kavanaugh said Monday, “These are smears, pure and simple. And they debase our public discourse. But they are also a threat to any man or woman who wishes to serve our country. Such grotesque and obvious character assassination—if allowed to succeed—will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from service.” Americans should heed these wise words and learn from Judge Kavanaugh’s example of integrity. We cannot allow such debased and transparently political tactics to derail this fine nominee, who should be voted on and promptly seated on the high court in time for the opening of the Supreme Court’s term in October.