Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to send Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor, just hours after Kavanaugh’s appalling testimony. His lies, political attacks and aggressive, bullying behavior underlined just how unfit he is to serve on any judicial bench.

At the last minute, Senator Jeff Flake has joined the call for an FBI investigation of the charges against Brett Kavanaugh, and to delay a floor vote for a week while this takes place. But this won’t happen unless Donald Trump agrees.

NOW calls on Mitch McConnell to endorse Senator Flake’s initiative and to ask the White House to begin an FBI investigation.

Brett Kavanaugh’s lack of judicial temperament was on display for all to see during yesterday’s hearing. But what we didn’t see, or hear, were the facts behind the charges made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick.

We need to hear from Mark Judge and other witnesses with essential knowledge that the Senate has so far ignored. We need the truth. We need the facts. Only the FBI can provide them.

Enough is enough.

Contact

Brittany T. Oliver, comms@now.org, 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON — Dr. Christine Blasey Ford did the nation a profound service with her brave, compelling and honest testimony today. No one will ever forget her recollection of the way Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge laughed at victimizing and terrorizing a 15-year old girl.

The contrast with Brett Kavanaugh’s smug, imperious and contrived image as a misunderstood choir boy could not have been more stark—or more disturbing. While Dr. Blasey Ford showed thoughtfulness in her answers, Kavanaugh showed blatant disrespect – especially to the female senators, whom he frequently interrupted. Brett Kavanaugh not only showed no remorse for his actions but no understanding of their consequences. He politicized the hearing and parroted Donald Trump’s attack lines. But he still refused to call for an FBI investigation or to call additional witnesses like Mark Judge.

Brett Kavanaugh is demonstrably unfit to be on the Supreme Court. He was unfit BEFORE the allegations of sexual assault and continues to be unfit today. In addition, he is equally unfit to continue to serve on the U.S. District Court of Appeals. Brett Kavanaugh should withdraw his nomination and step down from the federal bench. Enough is enough.

Contact

Brittany T. Oliver, comms@now.org, 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON–The news that Brett Kavanaugh allegedly committed sexual assault as a college student confirms what we’ve already known: Brett Kavanaugh is unfit to serve as a judge. He’s not only unfit to sit on the Supreme Court, but he’s also unfit to hold the position he currently occupies on the United States Court of Appeals.

Brett Kavanaugh must withdraw his nomination to the Supreme Court, and he must also step down from the federal bench. If he refuses to do so, appropriate investigations and judicial proceedings should commence.

The Senate Judiciary Committee should not turn Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing into a trial at which women face hostile cross-examination from a partisan attorney and see their personal trauma minimized or dismissed.

We know that the Judiciary Committee is led by men with a history of opposition to decisive measures that protect women from sexual violence. The six ranking Republican members of the Committee–Grassley, Hatch, Graham, Cornyn, Lee, and Cruz–each voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act of 2013, which passed the Senate 78-22. We know that two of these men, Hatch and Grassley brutally grilled Anita Hill and voted to elevate Clarence Thomas to the highest court in the land.

We demand that these allegations be investigated. We demand Kavanaugh step back from this nomination and step down from the federal bench. He should not be in the position to “judge” anyone. Enough is enough!

Contact

Brittany T. Oliver, comms@now.org, 202-628-8669