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

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON–“I thought he might inadvertently kill me,” Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has said about the sexual assault perpetrated by Brett Kavanaugh. Dr. Blasey was afraid for her life, and criminal conduct that put her life in danger must be investigated.

NOW supports calls made by Anita Hill, among others, for a truly independent, neutral investigative body with training in trauma-informed investigations to make a report to the committee. Dr. Blasey has said she is willing to appear before the committee next week, and she deserves to be treated with respect, and sensitivity to the trauma she has endured as a result of her assault.

Dr. Blasey also deserves the full measure of justice for new threats to her life and safety. She and her family are unable to safely occupy their home, and she continues to receive death threats and vicious attacks on social media. We know that these threats can spread like wildfire, inciting violence and extremism. NOW calls for law enforcement to investigate these threats and to provide protection for her and her loved ones.

NOW supports Dr. Christine Blasey Ford as she seeks an appropriate and serious hearing. And we also support her right to justice from a legal system that has failed for too many, for too long. Enough is Enough.

Contact

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

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON–In 1991, Angela Denise Wright never got to tell her story to the Senate Judiciary Committee of being harassed by Clarence Thomas. She was waiting outside the hearing room on Thomas’ nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court but was never called.

Neither were two other women who had similar testimony to give. The Senate only heard from Anita Hill, and the all-white male panel of Senators tore her to shreds.

We must not allow history to repeat itself on Monday. If more women come forward who can confirm Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s account, or if they have important testimony of their own—they must be allowed to speak. Chairman Grassley has already ruled he won’t hear from any other witnesses. Not Brett Kavanaugh’s drinking buddy, Mark Judge, who not only witnessed but participated in the assault and has written controversial things about women.

Survivors may be confronting the same choice Dr. Ford faced so courageously. She shouldn’t have had to deal with the invasion of privacy and personal invective she’s facing today—and nor should anyone else.

But Dr. Ford made a brave decision to come forward. The Senate should hear from her, and from any other woman who finds herself on the brink of a historic decision.

Contact

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

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON–Christine Blasey Ford courageously came forward about being sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh so she could tell the truth about a traumatic event. Although she should never have had to take this step, her bravery is leading the way for other women to hold Kavanaugh accountable and defend our democracy and the safety of women.

Brett Kavanaugh should not be a Supreme Court Justice. Period, end of story. As her husband, Russell Ford, told The Washington Post, “I think you look to judges to be the arbiters of right and wrong. If they don’t have a moral code of their own to determine right from wrong, then that’s a problem.” We agree.

The National Organization for Women is calling on the White House to immediately withdraw Kavanaugh as a nominee to the highest court in our country. This is beyond politics–it is a simple matter of right and wrong.

We stand with Christine Blasey Ford. We stand with all survivors of sexual assault. Enough is enough.

Contact

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

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON–This was written by NOW President Toni Van Pelt and published on NOW’s official blog, Say it Sister, on September 16, 2018.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) is firm in our demand that Brett Kavanaugh withdraws his name from consideration for a seat on the Supreme Court.  We rested our case early last week before allegations of sexual misconduct came to the public’s attention.  The nominee has perjured himself, hidden and refused to discuss his views and actions that deserve to be considered by the committee. He has also given sham excuses about memory loss, “I changed my mind,” “What law firm,” then mumbled his way around as to why he can’t respond to questions about certain legal issues, or to his receipt of purloined confidential documents, or the impact of his view of whether or not the Constitution protects women’s equal rights.

It is clear to all that he will not be there for the right to access to health care regarding pre-existing conditions, access to family planning and birth control, and access to safe and legal abortions. Kavanaugh’s record indicates he is ardently opposed to expanding the concept of personal freedom articulated by the very justice he’s been nominated to replace.

With respect to the recent charges of abuse, it appears that Kavanaugh’s handlers — in anticipation of the allegation — collected endorsements from 65 high school girlfriends including several who knew nothing about the alleged sexual misconduct.  More importantly, NOW trusts Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) and believes that sexual coercion occurred.

We call on every U.S. senator, every pundit, every voter to heed and respect the basic fundamental right to confidentiality that all survivors of domestic and sexual misconduct, harassment, assault, and rape deserve. Feinstein stood up for that principle, respected the request for confidentiality and released the letter to the FBI only after leaks to the press caused a furor.  Anyone who condemns her should put themselves in the shoes of the accuser. Yes, she signed that letter sent in July and talked to an attorney who told her the consequences of going public.  So, she changed her mind and asked for confidentiality when she was alerted to the reality that: she would be accused of partisan political manipulation, lying, alcoholism, and much more; she will be tortured for details, witnesses, proof and asked why she didn’t reveal these accusations earlier; she was reminded of the lines predators have used “You won’t tell anyone because no one will believe you. They’ll take my word over yours. I will make you sorry you ever opened your mouth. This was a good learning experience for you. I did this because I care about/love you.”

She probably remembered why she hadn’t told earlier. Anita Hill “told” the whole world on national TV and Clarence Thomas was still seated on the Supreme Court. Monica Lewinsky told her friend and Bill Clinton got re-elected. The college wrestlers told, the students at Penn State told, the young women Olympic gymnasts told, the altar boys and seminary students told, female clerks for judges told, actresses and secretaries and hotel maids and construction workers and inmates and many more told and yet few of the predators were held accountable and cover-ups were legion.

NOW respectfully demands that Brett Kavanaugh withdraw and if he doesn’t, that the Committee and the full Senate rejects the nomination of this flawed nominee.  Our nation simply must deal with bullying, dating, domestic violence, sexual harassment, misconduct, assault, and rape. And until we make sure our homes, schools, workplace, and communities are a safe haven, we will continue to have deaths and lifetime trauma on our hands. Enough is enough.

Contact

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