Kavanaugh’s hearing: Sexual harassment, abortion and subpoenaing the president
Brett Kavanaugh Wednesday faced the Senate Judiciary Committee for a second day of his confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court — where he appeared to dodge questions from some Democrats on gun control and executive power.
The questioning from Democrats was generally anticipated, with Kavanaugh fielding inquiries on his stance on Roe vs. Wade, torture and whether a sitting president can be subpoenaed.
“No one is above the law.”
Grassley began the hearing by asking Kavanaugh to define judicial independence, adding that “a judge’s sole job is to find and apply the law evenly and fairly without regard to the president who nominated him, the senators who voted for him, the parties before him and the political consequences of his judicial decision.”
Second Amendment and gun control
Kavanaugh did not reject an argument he wrote that some semi-automatic rifles cannot be banned. He said that other Supreme Court opinions, in addition to the second amendment, took precedent.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein asked Kavanaugh about his stance in regards to “the hundreds of school shootings using assault weapons that have taken place in recent history.”
Kavanaugh replied that “of course the violence in the schools is something that we all detest and want to do something about.” He contested, however, that he still sees that it is his job “to follow the second amendment opinion of the supreme court whether I agreed with it or disagreed.”
Abortion
Roe v. Wade is “an important precedent of the Supreme Court that has been reaffirmed many times,” Kavanaugh said. Feinstein asked if he thought the ruling was “correct law” and asked whether he would try to overturn it.
“Senator, I said that it is settled as a precedence of the Supreme Court and entitled respect under stare decisis,” Kavanaugh said. “And one of the important things to keep in mind about Roe v. Wade is that it has been reaffirmed many times over the past 45 years as you know.”
Feistein said that she believes that women should “be able to control their own reproductive systems within obviously some concern for a viable fetus.” To which Kavanaugh replied that he understands “how passionate and how deeply people feel about this issue.”
“I don’t live in a bubble,” he said. “I live in the real world. I understand the importance of the issue.”
He later added: “I do understand the real world effects of that decision, as I try to do of all the decisions of my court and of the Supreme Court.”
Executive power
Kavanaugh declines to answer whether a president has to respond to a subpoena from a court of law. He cited Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s rule to decline answering questions that could offer “hints,” “forecasts” or “previews” on how they could rule in the future on the court.
“My understanding is that you’re asking me to give my view you on a potential hypothetical, and that a is something that each of the eight justices when sitting in my seat declined to decide potential hypothetical cases,” he said.”
Alex Kozinski sexual harassment claims
Kavanaugh denied knowing about sexual harassment claims involving former U.S. Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski. Kavanaugh clerked for Kozinski between the years 1991 to 1992.
The Washington Post in Dec. 2017 reported that several former clerks and junior staffers were sexually harassed by Kozinski. Kavanaugh said he did not know anything about the allegations prior to the Post report.
“It was a gut punch for the judiciary, and I was shocked, and disappointed,” Kavanaugh said. “No woman should be subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace.”
Liar, liar pants on fire Kavanaugh!!!!!
what about the men that are subject to sexual harassment? That is also a reality!
Who the hell cares what Feinstein “believes” regarding her comment about women…“be able to control their own reproductive systems within obviously some concern for a viable fetus.” Decisions are NOT made on what anyone believes. These Democrats are BEYOND RIDICULOUS AND HATEFUL.
Save yourself the price to attend a circus and tune into the demonRATs as they attempt to derail Kavenaugh from becoming the next Supreme Court Justice, not because it a wholesome debate, but because the demonRat’s are desperate to deny Kavenaugh’s appointment to the court. Its times these that their true colors.
Well stated responses both honest and with sound judicial thinking and well reasoned understanding. Judge Kavanaugh
Should be our next Supreme Court Justice!
“The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great,” Meghan McCain said.
No disagreement here, Trump’s Make America Great Again obviously was not John McCain’s idea of a Great America. He seemed to be more for the Obama liberal socialist goal for America.
Apparently comments are being reviewed and blocked if not deemed to be politically correct.
Judge Kavanaugh is an excellent choice for the supreme court and Chuck Shumer encouraging people to insult him until they had to remove his daughters shows what an absolute POS he really is. What a shock to have someone from the leadership of the democrat party to be that blatant and pathetic. Amy Klobachar is another huge disappointment. I live in Minnesota and she disgusts me.
If the Dims hate him, I KNOW I’m going to like him. And, unless somebody files a lawsuit of some sort, Roe v Wade won’t even come up. Libs need to take a chill pill!
The demonRATs are not going to concede because what is at stake is their progressive agenda and every liberal cause that they have imposed on American’s for at least the last 8 years under obama. They may have to give up but you can rest assured thay concede. The demonRATs are not going to concede because of what is at stake is their progressive agenda and even if they have give up they will never concede.
Judge Kavenaugh gave good answers.
ABORTION. It is settled law, to the point of congress controlling the funding. Planned Parenthood can be a separate issue.
GUN CONTROL Second Amendment. It will not stop mental illness. A threat in Utah was a bomb.. They will not stop brute force and other weapons.
PRESIDENTIAL POWER. Congress can impeach. As commander in-chief there should be nothing to interfere with these duties while in office.
CONNECTION WITH KOZINSKI. I did not see the dates of the charges against Kozinski,, it has been 26 years. very few people have 24/7 contact over a period of years..
Roe v Wade was never about women’s rights, it was about of the black race’s baby. The majority of abortions are in the black community. Women always have control of there bodies unless it was rape or insect . They can make sure a condom is use or birth control pills or just do not have sex . they all have a choice. When you figure that from when it came out over 65 million babes have been aborted. The sick one are the late term ones where the child really does feel the pain.
Considering the disgraceful behavior of all Democrats, spectators & senators – particularly Kamala Harris uncivil behavior, Congress should stop the circus and confirm Mr. Kavnaugh immediately,
democrats need to grow up and start acting like adults instead of spoiled 6 year olds
Kavanaugh is the right man for the job, and what soros did outside the court is wrong in paying protesters to cause disruption in the court room, protesters and soros should be arrested. Democrats are trying to delay you taking position thinking they will win the election in November, which I pray doesn’t happen, the are crooked evil criminals and many have committed treason, and are traitors to our country including soros, . there are others in the deep state that need to be arrested too. I pray God allows you Mr Kavanaugh to become a judge, as I know you will be fair to all that come before you.
Come…, let us reason together. How can we do INSIDE the womb what, if done OUTSIDE the womb, would be MURDER? In cases where rape, incest, and abnormal child development occur, It has been shown that there are people willing to ADOPT these children, if the birth mother and/or father do not want them. Some talk about a “woman’s right to choose” in the matter. We ALL have individual choices, BUT that does NOT mean we should take some of them! The birth mother also has a “CHOICE” to put the child to DEATH once it emerges from the womb, but that is a choice she definitely should NOT take!!!
Since 1972 61 MILLION BABIES’ lives have been destroyed by abortion. This is AMERICA”s SHAMEFUL HOLOCAUST, surpassing even Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Tse Tung!!! How can we shame these dictators while ourselves killing so many more??? Who knows how many of these babies could have become mental Einsteins or other great contributors benefitting America and the World???
But what about the need to prevent the death of the mother in some cases? Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop (1980), abortionist Alan F. Guttmacher (1967), Jasper Williams, Jr., M.D., Past President of the National Medical Association, and a multitude of other physicians, all agree that the need for an abortion to save a pregnant woman’s life is VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT. Pregnant women have been successfully operated upon without damaging the fetus in virtually every scenario, even for open heart surgery without ultimate harm to either the mother or the child. If the child is far enough along, it could even be taken by inducement or Caesarean section. Nevertheless let us ASSUME, just for ARGUMENT’s sake, as some have, that as much as 1% of the cases could SOMEHOW require abortion.
Instead of giving multiple MILLIONS of TAXPAYER DOLLARS ANNUALLY to PLANNED PARENTHOOD to KILL these babies (and divide and sell their body parts), why not use these funds INSTEAD to RESEARCH ways to CLEARLY DEFINE and then ELIMINATE any and all, if any, causes for birthing threats to the mother’s life!!! This country has the best medical services in the world. Let’s apply our SKILLS AND THESE TAXPAYER FUNDS to ELIMINATING even this tiny risk (if it exists) to the mother. We may have already, by our misguided actions, killed a person who could have solved any such problem long ago!!!
President Trump: Think before you speak to the TV cameras….and the world.